Skillet Supper Ingredients

Variation of Sausage and Vegetables Skillet

Even though this recipe calls for kielbasa, it can easily become a vegetarian meal. Simply remove the meat from the ingredient list. Personally I’d swap out zucchini for carrots. As for the hot sauce, we like to use Raw Heat. It has a lot of heat and flavor and you don’t need much.

• 8 oz low‐fat kielbasa, cut into ½ inch thick slices
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. salt, or to taste
• 2 c. cooked brown rice
• ½ cup water
• hot sauce, to taste

Preparation

What makes this an easy meal is that how you only need one pan to get dinner ready.

• Cook kielbasa in a large nonstick skillet over high heat, turning from time to time, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a plate.
• Add oil to the pan.
• Add onions, zucchini, bell pepper, jalapenos, garlic, cumin, oregano and salt; cook, stirring, until the onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in rice, beans and water; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 4 minutes.
• Add the reserved kielbasa and season with hot sauce.
• Serve hot.

Thoughts on Skillet Dinners

I’d love to hear from you about your meal ideas. What are some of your favorite meals to make when you’re pressed for time?

Photo Credit:  HatM

They are also extremely easy to make, so you can get a batch ready before your guests arrive and still have some time to relax.

Easy, Tasty Fried Pork Wontons

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• 1 cup of minced pork
• 1/4 cup of minced scallion
• 1/2 finely shredded cabbage
• 1 Tsp of minced garlic
• 1 Tsp of grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup of stemmed, seeded, and minced red bell pepper
• 1 Tsp of soy sauce
• 1 Tsp of dark sesame oil
• 1 egg
• 48 wonton wraps/skins (no big difference- I’ve seen both used)

Preparation

• Fill deep saucepan with vegetable oil until 2 inches deep.
• Turn the heat to medium-high.
• With the exception of the wonton skins, combine and mix all the ingredients.
• Fill the center of the wonton skin with 2 Tsp of your filling.
• Fold into a triangle and seal with a bit of water.
• After you’ve filled all the skins, go ahead and place your wontons into the pan a few at a time. Cook for about 3 minutes or so, turning it once during the process.
• Dry on paper towel.

My tip on folding the wontons is to keep it simply and fold it diagonally to get the triangle shape. If prepared right, they’ll be gone quickly anyways, so no need to stress over folding like the restaurants  The recipe makes enough for about 10 people, give or take their appetites.

Thoughts on Frying Wontons

I’d love to hear from you. How do you like to prepare your wontons? What other dishes do you serve with them?

Photo Credit: jeferonix

A healthy option with the slow cooker is making a Mediterranean Stew. With this recipe you don’t need meat, though some variations include adding some lamb. I’d also recommend making a side of rice to go with the stew.

Ingredients 

• 3/4 butternut squash – peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1-1/2 cups and 2 tablespoonscubed eggplant, with peel
• 1-1/2 cups and 2 tablespoonscubed zucchini
• 3/4 (10 ounce) packagefrozen okra, thawed
• 3/4 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup and 2 teaspoons chopped onion
• 3/4 ripe tomato, chopped
• 3/4 carrot, sliced thin
• 1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon raisins
• 3/4 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Preparation

The great thing with this stew is all you have to do to prepare it is throw in the  butternut squash, eggplant, zucchini, okra, tomato sauce, onion, tomato, carrot, broth, raisins, and garlic into the crockpot. Season with cumin, turmeric, red pepper, cinnamon, and paprika.

Cover, and cook on low for 8 or so.

Thoughts on Slow Cooker Meals

What are some of your favorite meals to make in the crockpot?

Photo Credit: Girl Interrupted Eating

Curious and definately wanting to have more of these meals at our place, I decided to find the recipes for two of my favorite dishes from our trip: slow cooked pulled pork and Amish cole slaw.

Pulled Pork in the Crockpot

Having some pulled pork for dinner can be the perfect comfort meal.

Ingredients: 

• 4 lb pork roast
• 2 onions, sliced, divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 or 6 whole cloves
• 2 cups water
• 16 oz bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
• salt and pepper

Preparation:

Place one sliced onion at the bottom of your crock pot. Stud pork roast with cloves and season with salt and pepper. Place roast in slow cooker on top of the sliced onion. Cover with the second sliced onion and add enough water to fill Crock Pot two thirds of the way. Cover and cook on low 8 to 12 hours.

Remove roast from the crock pot. Discard cloves, bone and fat as well as any water, onions and grease remaining in pot. When pork roast is cool enough to handle, use a fork or your fingers to pull it apart until the entire roast is shredded.

Return the pulled pork to the crock pot. Mix in the chopped onion and BBQ sauce and cover. Heat on high for 1-3 hours or until the onions are soft.

Amish Cole Slaw

With the pulled pork having some Amish cole slaw can be a perfect and simple side.

Cole Slaw Ingredients:

•  2 (16 ounce) bags cabbage coleslaw blend
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup white sugar

Dressing Ingredients

• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, onion, and 3/4 cup sugar. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, salt, celery seed, 1 teaspoon white sugar, mustard and oil. Bring to a boil and then cook for 3 minutes. Cool completely, then pour over cabbage mixture. Toss to coat and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Toss again prior to serving.

Thoughts on Vacation Dishes

What has been some of your favorite dishes to eat while on a getaway?

Photo Credit:  ginnerobot

Thai Style Chicken Wrap with Peanut Sauce

I think some of the best wraps I’ve eaten have had Rotisserie chicken included. Using leftovers can surprisingly yield fantastic results and spread out your meals from one bird. However if you’re pressed for time, grabbing one of the already season and prepared chickens from the grocery store can be a quick alternative.

If you’re looking for a recipe I found chicken wrap at Rachel Ray‘s that works as a great starting point. If you have time to make your own peanut sauce go for it. If not, there are some prepared bottles at the store you can use.

Ingredients 

• 3 (6-ounce) chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on an angle
• 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 3 scallions, sliced on an angle
• 12 leaves basil, chopped or torn
• 3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
• Salt

Preparation

• Heat a grill pan over high heat. Toss chicken with soy and oil and grill 6 minutes on each side.
• Combine cucumber, sprouts, carrots, scallions, basil, mint and sesame with a generous sprinkle of sugar and vinegar.
• Slice cooked chicken on an angle. Toss with veggies and herbs.
• In a very hot nonstick skillet or over a gas burner heat tortillas 15 seconds on each side.
• Pile chicken and veggies in wraps and drizzle liberally with spicy peanut sauce before wrapping and rolling.

Thoughts on Food on the Go

How many of you eat on the go during the week? What brown bag meals do you like to prepare? What are some of your favorite wraps to create?

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