Elle's Smashed Vegetables

Ok, this isn't really a 'recipe' but more a slightly different way to prepare vegetables. I think that even the pickiest child (or husband) would love any vegetable prepared this way! 

Elle's Smashed Vegetables

Ingredients

vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts all work great)vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts all work great)
saltsalt
pepperpepper
garlic powdergarlic powder
shredded cheese of your choiceshredded cheese of your choice

Steps

Preheat oven to 425FPreheat oven to 425F

Microwave vegetable till doneMicrowave vegetable till done
Place vegetable on a greased cookie sheetPlace vegetable on a greased cookie sheet
Smash with a glass to flattenSmash with a glass to flatten
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and top with shredded cheeseSprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and top with shredded cheese
Bake for 25 minutes or till crispy

Sunday Chat: Unanswered Prayers: 6 Reasons & Why You Should Keep Trusting God's Plan

Trust God's plan and have faith! Pray without ceasing! ♥

 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, 

and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 

Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham 

in his old age, at the very time 

God had promised him. 

Genesis 21:1-2

“So I say to you, 

ask, and it will be given to you; 

seek, and you will find; 

knock, and it will be opened to you. 

For everyone who asks receives, 

and he who seeks finds, and 

to him who knocks it will be opened. 

Luke 11:9-10

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

 For I know the plans I have for you,” 

declares the Lord, 

“plans to prosper you 

and not to harm you, 

plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Parmesan Crisps - One Ingredient

The first picture below is done with putting the parmesan into a muffin tin and covering the bottom of the pan. 

The second picture below was done with little mounds of parmesan on a baking sheet. 

I MUCH prefer the baking sheet method as they are thinner and have a nice lacy pattern. I also found the crisps from the muffin tin to be too thick and chewy.

Muffin tins - too thick and chewy

Ingredients

½ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese½ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

Steps

Preheat the oven to 375ºFPreheat the oven to 375ºF
LIne baking sheet with parchmentLIne baking sheet with parchment
Place a small mount of finely shredded parmesan cheese (evenly spaced) on a lined baking sheetPlace a small mount of finely shredded parmesan cheese (evenly spaced) on a lined baking sheet
Once the oven has preheated, add the baking sheet to the ovenOnce the oven has preheated, add the baking sheet to the oven
Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly, melted, and brown. 5 minutes was perfect in my ovenCook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly, melted, and brown. In tests, 5 minutes was the sweet spot.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the parmesan crisps to cool for 5 minutes, or until they are no longer pliable.Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the parmesan crisps to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are no longer pliable.
Line a plate with paper towel, and gently transfer the parmesan crisps to the lined plate to drain.Line a plate or tray with 2 to 3 layers of paper towel, and gently transfer the parmesan crisps to the lined plate to drain.
Once the parmesan crisps are completely cooled and drained they are ready to serve and enjoyOnce the parmesan crisps are completely cooled and drained they are ready to serve and enjoy
Store in air tight container for a day or two

Deviled Eggs

I make my deviled eggs by covering the bottom of my instant pot with water, adding the trivet and eggs and cooking on high on the egg setting for 6 minutes. Then I submerge in iced water and let chill for 5 minutes before peeling. It makes it super easy to make up these delicious deviled eggs anytime!

Ingredients

8 large hard boiled eggs peeled8 large hard boiled eggs peeled
3 Tbsp mayonnaise3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp dijon or yellow mustard1 Tbsp dijon or yellow mustard
1 tsp white wine vinegar apple cider is a good substitute1 tsp white wine vinegar apple cider is a good substitute
1/2 tsp kosher salt½ tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper¼ tsp black pepper
1/2 Tbsp minced fresh dill optional½ Tbsp minced fresh dill optional
pinch regular or smoked paprikapinch regular or smoked paprika

Steps

Slice the hard boiled eggs in half, lengthwise, into oval shapes. Remove yolks and add to a bowl or food processor. We find the end of a small spoon works well for removing the yolks.Slice the hard boiled eggs in half, lengthwise, into oval shapes. Remove yolks and add to a bowl or food processor. We find the end of a small spoon works well for removing the yolks.
Puree, grate, or mash the yolks. Add mayonnaise, dijon mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper, and dill, if using. Stir well to combine. Mixture should be creamy, but not runny.Puree, grate, or mash the yolks. Add mayonnaise, dijon mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper, and dill, if using. Stir well to combine. Mixture should be creamy, but not runny.
Add egg yolk filling to piping bag fitted with a piping tip, or a resealable plastic bag. If using the plastic bag, snip a small corner off of the bag. Pipe filling into the hollow part of the egg whites. I frequently just use a spoon to dollop the filling in.Add egg yolk filling to piping bag fitted with a piping tip, or a resealable plastic bag. If using the plastic bag, snip a small corner off of the bag. Pipe filling into the hollow part of the egg whites. Alternately, a spoon can be used to dollop the filling in.
Sprinkle deviled eggs with paprika and serve immediately or chill in the fridge for up to two days.

Air Fryer Sausage and Cheese Balls

These tasty breakfast morsels are a staple in our freezer.  So easy to grab a few, pop them in the microwave and have a hearty snack or breakfast/lunch/dinner accompaniment. The ingredients below are for double the usual amount as I like to have them on hand. The mixture of the spicy and italian sausage makes the perfect combination of flavors.

UPDATE: I made these today and replaced the cheddar cheese with pepper jack cheese. OH MY! I think this will be new regular way of making these - delicious! 

1 lb pork breakfast sausage spicy

1 lb italian sausage

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

2 oz cream cheese, softened (mic for 15 seconds)

2 large egg

diced red or white onion - or both - really adds something special!

Mix all ingredients

Form into 32 x 1 " balls

Place the balls in the air fryer in batches

Cook 400F for 12 minutes

Sausage balls will be browned outside and have internal temp of at least 145F

Serve warm or freeze ziplock bag.
Pull out a couple balls and microwave 1 minute  or till hot for a quick breakfast

Raw Dog Food Recipe - For Our 56 Lb Golden Retriever Maggie

Our precious Golden Retriever had bad allergies. We tried so many different kibbles and nothing helped. We transitioned her to cooked dog food which helped a bit for a while but it never completely fixed the redness and itching and soon, she was scratching so bad she had open sores! All of my research said that other people who had experienced this same thing had turned to raw dog food and it fixed it! We figured we would give it a try and are SO HAPPY that we did. Not only did it fix her allergies but, she loves it! If you don't want to go 100% raw, I want to encourage you to at least try supplementing some of your pet's kibble with a raw egg or some canned seafood or maybe some raw meat. You do need to have a good variety to get your pet all the vitamins and minerals it requires but it really isn't as intimidating as it sounds. Below is what we do with Maggie. I hope it encourages you to start your journey to a healthier, happier pet.

BASE FOODBASE FOOD
1 x 4 to 5 lb roast, chopped1 x 4 to 5 lb roast, chopped
2 ground beef2 ground beef
2 lbs ground turkey2 lbs ground turkey
1 lb ground pork or ground chicken or chopped chicken with no skin (optional)1 lb ground pork or ground chicken or chopped chicken with no skin (optional)
1 lb liver, chopped1 lb liver, chopped
2 generous handfuls of blueberries2 generous handfuls of blueberries
 
With her food (do NOT mix in ahead of time)With her food (do NOT mix in ahead of time)
ROTATE SEAFOODROTATE
Frozen Smelt - add in every 3 or 4 every day or so with any of the seafood belowFrozen Smelt - add in every 3 or 4 every day or so with any of the seafood below
canned salmoncanned salmon
canned oysterscanned oysters
canned mackerel (drained and rinsed and stored with water)canned mackerel (drained and rinsed and stored with water)
canned sardines
canned tuna (skipjack is lower in mercury)
canned sardines
 
Raw egg - every dinnerRaw egg - every dinner

Steps

Mix all of the base food - we freeze it in 1 lb bags and she gets 1/4 lb per mealMix all of the base food
Add in the seafood only at the time of serving (rinse utensils to not contaminate)Add in the seafood only at the time of serving (rinse utensils to not contaminate)
Supplements in am and pm mealsSupplements in am and pm meals
2 squirts of apple cider vinegar
2 drops vitamin E2 drops vitamin
E
2 squirts of apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp of Guts & Glory
small scoop green lipid mussel
¼ tsp of guts and glory
1/4 tsp of bone meal¼ tsp of bone meal
1/4 tsp of kelp¼ tsp of kelp

Notes

PROPORTIONS PROPORTIONS
80% base meat / turkey / chicken / pork80% meat /turkey / chicken
10% organ – 5 to 10% liver, 2 to 5% heart, spleen or kidney, heart, tripe, pancrease, lung, brain, eyes, sweet bread (or Guts & Glory) and green tripe or the green lipid mussel 10% organ - 5 to 10% liver, 2 to 5% heart, spleen or kidney, heart, tripe, pancrease, lung, brain, eyes, sweet bread and green tripe or the green tripe powder
10% bone (use powder) 10% bone (use powder)
blueberries 

blueberries
To maintain her weight she gets: To maintain her weight she gets:
1/2 lb of the base (am & pm) ½ lb base (am & pm)
.35 lb of a variety of the seafood (am & pm) 
Her supplements
.4 lb of seafood (am & pm)
1 egg per day 
Plus various vegetables and a few fruits 

Mark's Artichoke Chicken

 This is such an easy and delicious meal. Make sure you get it plenty hot (great in the air fryer!) and it tastes like something you would have at a restaurant. Yum! 

Mark's Artichoke Chicken

 Ingredients

1/2 can - 15 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/3 cup Trader Joe's Parmesan & Asiago Cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 pinch garlic
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme or tarragon
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Steps

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Mix together the artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, and spices.
In a greased 8 x 8 pan put chicken and cover with artichoke mixture.
Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes till cooked OR till cooked (air fryer takes about 15 to 20 minutes

Elle's Peanut Salad

 I think the key to this recipe is to have everything sliced very fine. I do use the coleslaw in the bag mix but always go through with my knife to ensure everything is uniformly chopped.

Elle's Peanut Salad (It is Thai influenced but, don't tell Mark!)

1 pound coleslaw mix1 pound coleslaw mix
3 cups shredded cooked chicken3 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/4 cup scallions chopped¼ cup scallions chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped1 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup chopped peanuts½ cup chopped peanuts
Small handful fresh cilantro chopped (optional but recommended)Small handful fresh cilantro chopped (optional but recommended)
Small handful fresh basil sliced thin or torn (optional)Small handful fresh basil sliced thin or torn (optional)
Salt & pepper to tasteSalt & pepper to taste
Dressing:subheading: Dressing:
5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter see note
3 tablespoons water or more as needed3 tablespoons water or more as needed
2 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon pure sesame oil½ teaspoon pure sesame oil see note
1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Steps

Add the dressing ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and whisk together until smooth. Taste and adjust (e.g. add more lime juice or honey). If your dressing comes out really thick (peanut butter brands can vary), add even more water than suggested.Add the dressing ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and whisk together until smooth. Taste and adjust (e.g. add more lime juice or honey). If your dressing comes out really thick (peanut butter brands can vary), add even more water than suggested.
Prep all the salad ingredients and them add to a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and serve immediately. Season with salt & pepper as needed.Prep all the salad ingredients and them add to a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and serve immediately. Season with salt & pepper as needed.

Sloppy Joe's Recipe

Mark loves Sloppy Joe's! This recipe freezes well so I make a large batch and we put it in individual baggies in the freezer. Mark likes his on a hamburger bun and I have mine over cabbage. Either way, it is delicious with a bit of sweet and a bit of spicy and a whole lot of "more please!". If you try it, I think you will agree that you will always want to have some in your freezer waiting to heat up and have as a savory lunch or dinner.

Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
2 lb. ground beef
2/3 green bell pepper, minced
1 large yellow onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup water
2 Tbsp brown sugar (or less, if you prefer)
2 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
dash or two of hot sauce (optional)

Steps

Heat butter and oil in large skillet over MED/MED-HIGH heat. Add beef and brown, breaking apart into crumbles as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Transfer to colander to drain.
Add onion and bell pepper to same skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or so, until fragrant. Add beef back to the skillet and add tomato paste. Stir well.
Add ketchup, water, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes (if using), and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Cook over MED heat for 10-15 minutes, until mixture has thickened to your liking. Remove from heat and serve over toasted buns.

Notes

I served mine over cooked cabbage 
Sloppy Joe meat mixture can be frozen! 
Cool the mixture completely, then add to freezer containers and freeze for up to 4 months. 
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before serving. 

Sunday Chat: A Sure Fire Way For You...And Others To Feel Better!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

Philippians 4:13

Give thanks in all circumstances; 

 for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

If you help the poor, 

you are lending to the Lord and he will repay you! 

 Proverbs 19:17

Give, and you will receive. 

 Your gift will return to you in full- pressed down, 

shaken together to make room for more, 

 running over, and poured into your lap. 

 The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” 

 Luke 6:38