Shepherd's Pie

 

Ingredients

 

Meat Filling:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves -minced
• 2 tablespoons Wondra flour
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen mixed peas & carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

Potato Topping:

• 1 ½ - 2 lb. russet potatoes -about 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter -1 stick
• 1/3 cup half & half
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Make the Meat Filling.

• Add the oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the ground turkey to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the parsley, sage, thyme, salt, and and pepper. Stir well. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is browned, stirring occasionally.
• Add the Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add the flour and tomato paste. Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of tomato paste remain.
• Add the broth, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Set the meat mixture aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Make the potato topping.

• Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10-15 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander. Return the potatoes to the hot pot. Let the potatoes rest in the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate any remaining liquid.
• Add butter, half & half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes and stir until all the ingredients are mixed together.
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Assemble the casserole.

• Pour the meat mixture into a 9x9 (or 7x11) inch baking dish. Spread it out into an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat. Carefully spread into an even layer.
• If the baking dish looks very full, place it on a rimmed baking sheet so that the filling doesn’t bubble over into your oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.** Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Chicken, Butternut Squash and Rice Soup

 This recipe I found on this website here: https://karenmangum.com/chicken-butternut-squash-and-rice-soup/

The only change I made when I cooked it today was to use a Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning Instead of Herbes de Provence because of my Rosemary allergy.  I bought a Costco Roasted chicken and tossed the breast meat into my Kitchen Aide with the paddle to quickly shred the chicken.  I bought the butternut squash already peeled and cut up at Trader Joes and I'm looking forward to having this for my packed lunch at work tomorrow.  The rest went into my freezer for future enjoyment.

• Chicken, Butternut Squash and Rice Soup
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup diced white onion
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 cup uncooked rice blend
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
• 2 large handfuls of baby spinach
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot placed over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery; saute until onions are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken broth, carrots, butternut squash, rice, chicken, bay leaf and Herbes de Provence, stirring to combine.
2. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the spinach to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Herbes de Provence seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
4. Serve warm. Store in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Italian Turkey Sausage, Arugula and Potato Soup

 This weekend has been a weekend of cooking soup.  While it wasn't exactly Fall weather here in September in this High California desert, it was cooler than it has been and the air-conditioning worked well.  I have been trying to restock my freezer soups with leftovers from my weekly soup night, but we haven't had many leftovers lately, so I decided to cook up five different recipes and freeze them for lunches and such.  This first one is actually the last one I made and it was loosely based on one I found in a cookbook on my shelf titled The Ultimate Soup Bible by Anne Sheasby.  I deleted a few of the printed ingredients from that recipe and added a few of my own.

Ingredients

1 T. olive oil

1 cup diced onions

2 stalks celery sliced

2 cloves garlic

2 pounds yellow potatoes, diced

2 carrots sliced

6 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1 T. Italian Seasoning

1/2 T. Favorite all-purpose soup seasoning (I used Tatyana's)

1 pound ground turkey sausage, browned and drained

4 ounces arugula

Directions

1.  Heat olive oil in pot, and cook the onion until translucent.  Add in the celery and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.  Add potatoes, carrots, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and seasonings.  

2.  Bring to a boil and let cook until potatoes and carrots are soft. Add sausage and cook 5 minutes more.

3.  Remove from heat and stir in arugula. Freeze for eating later or Add toppings of choice (cheese, etc. and serve)

Turkey and Black Bean Taco Filling

 Ingredients

1 Pound Ground Turkey

1 can Black Beans drained and rinsed

3 Tablespoons McCormick Taco Seasoning (see recipe below if you don't want to buy)

1/4 cup water

Directions

Brown Ground Turkey

Add Can of black beans

Add seasong and water and mix together

Serve over chips, or salad on tortillas with cheese, lettuce tomatoes, avocado or any other favorite toppings.

Ingredients

• 5 teaspoons McCormick® Paprika
• 1 1/4 teaspoons McCormick® Garlic Powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons McCormick® Ground Cumin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons McCormick® Onion Powder
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Oregano Leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt from McCormick® Sea Salt Grinder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch

Red Lentil Soup

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon 

  olive oil

• 1 

  medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 2 

  medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

• 2 

  medium stalks celery, diced (about 3/4 cup)

• 3 cloves 

  garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon 

  tomato paste

• 2 teaspoons 

  kosher salt, plus more as needed

• 2 teaspoons 

  ground cumin

• 1 1/2 teaspoons 

  smoked paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon 

  freshly ground black pepper

• 6 cups 

  low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

• 11/2 cups 

  dried red lentils

• Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)

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  Instructions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1 diced medium yellow onion, 2 peeled and diced medium carrots, and 2 diced medium celery stalks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

  2. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the tomato paste is darkened in color, 1 to 2 minutes.

  3. Stir in 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups dried red lentils. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

  4. If desired, for a creamier soup, blend with an immersion blender directly in the pot, or transfer to a blender to blend to your desired consistency. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves if desired.

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Homemade Whipped Cream (With Sugar Substitute)

 Homemade whipped cream with Splenda

Here's a simple recipe for homemade whipped cream using heavy whipping cream and Splenda:

Ingredients

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 6 tablespoons Splenda sugar substitute
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Directions

1. Chill your mixing bowl: For best results, place the bowl you plan to use for mixing (preferably a metal one) in the freezer for about 15 minutes before you begin whipping.
2. Combine ingredients: In the chilled bowl, add the heavy whipping cream, Splenda, and vanilla extract.
3. Whip the cream: Using an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer), start on low speed and gradually increase the speed as the cream begins to thicken.
4. Beat until stiff peaks form: Continue whipping until the cream doubles in volume and stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks mean that when you lift the beaters, a peak will form and hold its shape.
5. Don't overbeat: Be careful not to overbeat, as this can turn the whipped cream into butter.
6. Serve and enjoy: Your homemade, sugar-free whipped cream is now ready to be enjoyed with your favorite desserts or beverages. 

Tips

• Adjust the amount of Splenda to your desired sweetness level.
• For a fun twist, try adding a dash of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, or a little lemon zest for a different flavor.
• While this whipped cream is best enjoyed fresh, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days. If you whip it to stiff peaks, it may last a bit longer, up to about 3 days in the fridge without losing its shape, according to Healthy Recipes Blog.
• For a dairy-free version, you can substitute heavy cream with chilled full-fat coconut cream.
• If you're using a granulated Splenda product, CHAS Health suggests that it generally substitutes cup for cup with regular granulated sugar. However, some sources, like Healthy Recipes Blog, recommend using powdered sugar substitutes for a smoother texture in whipped cream. 

Enjoy your delicious and sugar-free homemade whipped cream!

Creamed Red Potatoes and Peas

 This was a favorite at the farm in the summer.  Grandma Janey always called them new potatoes as she made them with freshly harvested potatoes from the garden.  I have no idea if she used fresh peas from the garden, too, or frozen ones like I do.  These days, I make it with Extra Creamy Oatmilk due to our dairy allergies, but it is just as delicious.

Ingredients

Red Potatoes

Frozen Peas

Wondra Flour

Milk

Margarine

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Cut up potatoes and place them in a pot filled with water.  Boil until done.  Add peas in at the end.  Drain.  In a saucepan, mix 1 cup of cold milk, 2 Tablespoons of Wondra flour, 2 Tablespoons of margarine, and 1/4 teaspoon of. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Heat to a boil.  Pour over the potatoes and peas.