Instant Pot Creole Pasta

Back in the 90's when I worked in downtown Shreveport, we would often go to Pete Harris Cafe for their weekly lunch specials. Their specials were some of the best soul food around. Specials like chicken fried steak, smothered pork chops, fried fish and potato salad every Friday. All served with sides like greens, black eye peas, corn bread and peach cobbler for dessert. One of their more unique specials was creole spaghetti. It was a plate full of spaghetti with a rusty red sauce, smoked sausage, peppers and onions. It was so different, I had never seen anything quite like it. The cafe is long gone and I have tried replicating the recipe many times. I have made it stove-top with different shaped pastas, in one pot or multiple pots. I have used different brands of pasta sauce and sausage, it always turns out delicious. I have tried low sodium versions with canned Italian tomatoes and even substituting frozen onion and pepper blend, still so very good. Recently I tried adapting the recipe to the Instant Pot. I used the one pot pasta technique and it worked perfectly. Such a savory, smoky and delicious pasta dish with tons of creole flair! I like using the Instant Pot. It was a set it and forget method, no stirring. A few pieces of pasta that came in contact with the bottom of the pot got a little brown so I suggest patting the pasta into the liquid or stirring it into the top only just to be safe. This is a fast weeknight meal I will keep making in the Instant Pot. I hope you will too.

Instant Pot Creole Pasta
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage, sliced (I used Richard's Turkey Sausage)
2 medium onions, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 tsp. Cajun Seasoning, or to taste (I used Extra Spicy Mrs. Dash)
1 jar (28 oz.) Pasta Sauce, traditional flavor (I used low sodium Organic)
1 box (16 oz.) of spaghetti or pasta (I used penne)*

Directions

Place instant pot on saute. When hot drizzle with a little olive oil and add sausage. Brown sausage on each side. Add onions and peppers, sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Stir to separate onions slices and combine ingredients. Turn off instant pot and add pasta sauce, one jar full of water and pasta. Stir to combine, scrapping the bottom of the pot. Pat down ingredients so that pasta is submerged in liquid. Cover pot and set to sealing, cook at high pressure for half of the time recommended on the pasta packaging (6 minutes for penne). When done turn off pot and let rest 1 minute before performing a quick release. Stir and serve.

*Note: If you prefer saucy pasta use less pasta, about 12 oz.

Stove Top Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the spaghetti or pasta of your choice. In another large pot, saute onions, peppers and turkey sausage. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Add pasta sauce, bring to a boil and lower heat to just simmering. Cover pot and stir occasionally. Simmer for 15 minutes to let flavors blend and until pasta is done. Drop spaghetti and cook according to package. Drain pasta and toss with some of the sauce. Top with remaining sauce to serve.

One Pot Stove Top Directions:
In a large pot, saute onions, peppers and turkey sausage. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Add pasta, pasta sauce and one jar full of water. Bring to a boil and lower heat to just simmering. Cover pot and stir occasionally. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until pasta is cooked to your taste and flavors have blended.

Low Sodium Version:
Substitute low sodium pasta sauce or 2 - 15 oz. cans of no salt added Italian tomatoes pulsed in a blender. Use Extra Spicy Mrs. Dash instead of Cajun Seasoning.

Birthday Taco Dinner

For my Birthday I decided I just wanted to hang out and have some tacos. Doesn't that sound relaxing? And tasty! Mom and I took those special ingredients from our shopping trip to the Super Mercado and turned them into a fantastic Birthday Taco Dinner. She found the menu in a cookbook from America's Test Kitchen called The Best Mexican Recipes. She chose Lentil and Chorizo Soup, Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Jicama Slaw and Hibiscus Tea. We just took our time and followed the recipes for the most part; making only minor adjustments. We started with the tea, then the soup, finishing with the tacos just before dinner time. It was pretty easy and we enjoyed talking while we cooked.

The soup recipe probably had the most steps. But some of the steps were new techniques for me. The recipe started by brining the lentils in warm salted water. This was the secret to making the lentils keep their shape in the soup. The other step that made a big difference is that they cooked the chorizo in the casing. Which really helped to make the chorizo easy to slice at the end. The soup was delicious, it had great flavor and texture. I loved the smoky flavor, all the veg and the bright vinegar to finish. Very good! I will definitely make this soup again.

Lentil and Chorizo Soup

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 lb. brown lentils, picked over and rinsed

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. Mexican-style chorizo sausage, pricked with fork several times

1 onion, chopped fine

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced

2 Tbsp. ancho chile powder

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

7 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, plus extra for garnish

Directions

Place lentils and 2 teaspoons salt in heatproof container. Cover with 4 cups boiling water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain well.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat until shimmering. Add chorizo and brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to plate. Reduce heat to low and add onion, carrots, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to fat left in pot. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft but not brown, 15 to 20 minutes. If vegetables begin to brown, add 1 tablespoon water to pot.

Stir in chile powder, garlic, cumin, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in water, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to simmer. Add lentils, browned chorizo with any accumulated juices and bay leaves, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Discard bay leaves. Transfer chorizo to cutting board, let cool slightly, then halve lengthwise and slice 1/4 inch thick. Stir chorizo into soup and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro. Season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste. Serve.

The Tacos were great too. What I loved was the combination of the sweet jicama orange slaw, the spicy shrimp and the crema. I L-O-V-E-D the crema! That was a big take away, there is a big difference between Mexican crema and sour cream. Crema is much more complex. It is a little sweeter and even richer than sour cream. I think I will use it more often now. We did decide we prefer flour tortillas instead of the corn the recipe called for. The corn tortilla just over powered the delicate flavors of the taco ingredients. All you could taste was the corn. The flour tortillas was great with everything, you could taste all the ingredients. It really was a great taco.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Jicama Slaw

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Makes about 8 tacos

Ingredients

1 lb. jicama, julienned or shredded

1 tsp. orange zest plus 1/3 cup juice

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

3 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

Kosher salt

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. oregano, minced

1-1/2 tsp. chipotle powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 lbs. extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

8 flour tortillas (or corn, I like flour better)

1 cup Mexican crema

Lime wedges

Directions

Soak four wood skewers in water for 30 minutes or more.

Combine jicama, orange zest and juice, onion, cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Whisk oil, oregano, chile powder, garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels, add to spice mixture, and toss to coat. Thread shrimp onto four skewers.

Preheat grill on high heat for 10 minutes. Place shrimp on grill and cook (covered) until lightly charred on first side, about 4 minutes. Flip shrimp, and cook until opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Transfer to platter and cover with aluminum foil.

Grill tortillas, turning as needed, until warm and soft, about 30 seconds; wrap tightly in foil to keep soft.

Slide shrimp off skewers onto cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Serve with tortillas, jicama slaw, crema, and lime wedges.

Hibiscus tea was something we tried at a local restaurant a few months ago. Ki Mexico serves a great Hibiscus Tea, it is so delicious. It is sweet, tangy and has a hint of spice. So when we decided we wanted to make it at home I wanted to add some spice. So we took a little from two recipes, one from the ATK cookbook and the other this recipe for Agua de Jamaica. It turned out so good! This is something I will do many many more times. The hibiscus is naturally tart and fruity so when you steep it with sugar, cinnamon, ginger and allspice; it adds sweetness and warmth. Such a perfectly refreshing drink with a beautiful red color.

Hibiscus Tea

Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients

2 quarts water

3/4 cup sugar (or more if you like it sweet)

2 oz. (about 1-3/4 cups) dried hibiscus flowers

1/2 cinnamon stick

3 slices of fresh ginger

4 Allspice berries

Lime wedges to serve

Directions

Put 4 cups of the water and the sugar in a medium saucepan. Add cinnamon, ginger slices, and allspice berries. Heat until boiling and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in the dried hibiscus flowers.

Cover and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and discard the used hibiscus flowers, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice berries.

Add remaining 4 cups of water to the tea, and chill. Serve over ice with a wedge of lime.

Linking to:
The Lazy Gastronome - Taco Tuesday Blog Hop

Stuffed Zucchini Soup

I was inspired to make this pot of soup after seeing a lot of different stuffed zucchini recipes and videos. I have to admit they all sounded delicious, but I must have been feeling lazy because I had no desire to go to all that fuss. All I could think was the flavors would make a great soup. Boy was I right! Using the same ingredients of Italian sausage, zucchini, tomato and Parmesan as the baked dish you can make a deliciously easy soup. There is no pre-cooking the zucchini. No using a spoon to hollow it out. No stuffing and no waiting for it to bake. The soup is a chop and drop recipe. Place your chopping board near the pot and just chop, then add to the pot. So easy but so flavorful. All the flavor is in the turkey Italian sausage, pasta sauce and Parmesan. I love the body the pasta sauce gives this soup. It is just the perfect consistency not too thick and not too thin. I will definitely be making this one over and over again. I am just sad that zucchini season is nearing it's end. Time is running out. So hurry! Go make a pot of this soup right now before it's too late. You will be glad you did.

Stuffed Zucchini Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey Italian sausage
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 zucchini, quartered and chopped
14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes with celery
24 oz. jar traditional pasta sauce
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Dash of red pepper flakes
Handful of parsley, chopped
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Place a soup pot over medium high heat; add olive oil and sausage. Cook crumbling up the sausage until browned. Add onions and garlic cook into onion begins to get translucent. Add zucchini, tomatoes, pasta sauce, stock and season with peppers. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook covered for 20 to 25 minutes until zucchini are tender. Stir in parsley and serve garnished with Parmesan and more parsley.

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Spatulas On Parade: Wonderful Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Soup
Love Bake Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Tornadough Alli: Throwback Thursday Link Party
Reasons To Skip The Housework: STH Link Party

K-cup Sausage Gravy and Grits

When I first got my Keurig people kept telling me that they would brew two cups of coffee from one K-cup. I tried it and I was less than impressed. The second cup was too weak for my taste. Then this morning it came to me, I wonder if you could use that second brew for red-eye gravy? Well I didn't have ham, but I had turkey breakfast sausage. So the experiment began. I placed two slices of sausage in a pan and using a spoon I crumbled it as it cooked. Then I put some beef bouillon in a coffee cup and brewed a second cup of coffee over the top. I used the picture of a tea cup or the smallest cup setting since I was making one serving. I also put on some grits to cook. When the sausage was browned I added a little butter and flour and cooked stirring often until I could no longer smell the flour. Then I added the coffee and bouillon mixture and simmered until nice and thick. It was well seasoned because of the bouillon and all it needed was black pepper. It made a deliciously rich and dark gravy. It did not taste like coffee, it just had a deep, rich, flavor. It was delicious! I loved it over the grits. Such a warm and savory breakfast courtesy of a K-cup. I can't wait to bring home some ham and try a red-eye gravy. So run, don't walk to your Keurig and use that K-cup from your morning coffee to brew up something tasty for breakfast. You will not be disappointed.

K-cup Sausage Gravy and Grits
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 slices turkey breakfast sausage
1/2 tsp. beef bouillon
1 short second brew from K-cup
1/4 cup quick grits
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tsp. butter or margarine, divided
1 tsp. flour
Black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. heavy cream

Directions

Place sausage in a pan, cook on medium high breaking up with a spoon until crumbled. 

Add beef bouillon to a coffee cup and brew a second cup of coffee over the top. Use the picture of a tea cup or the smallest cup setting on a Keurig. 

Place grits, 1 cup of water and salt in a 2 cup microwave safe bowl. Cook on high for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave 1 minute. Stir again and microwave one more minute. 

When sausage is browned, add 1 tsp. butter and flour. Cook stirring often until it no longer smells like flour. Add the coffee and bouillon mixture and simmer until thick. Season with black pepper to taste.

Season grits with remaining butter, cream and additional black pepper (optional), stir to combine. Serve topped with sausage gravy.

Linking to:
My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Low Country Grill

I have been wanting to try this foil pack on the grill for a long time. My family and I love low country boils. We have drug out the big pot and made several over the years. The idea of cooking it in foil on the grill seemed so much easier. Mom and I decided to try it this weekend. We went shopping for the ingredients, made the Peanut Butter Brownie Yogurt Pie, made Chorizo Tacos for lunch and to end the evening we made this Low Country Grill. It was a full day. The foil packs turned out so delicious! The flavors are intensified cooking them this way, no water to wash a way a drop of that flavor. That being said next time I will add a tablespoon or two of stock, wine, or even beer to each pack. Two of the packs started to caramelize a bit (see last photo). It was not burnt, in fact the caramelized onions were delicious. I just think a little liquid will prevent it from happening. I will experiment a little more on my grill. Every grill is a little different and you have to adjust cooking times and know where the hot spots are. I don't know Mom and Dad's grill that well. So use the recipe as a starting place, adjust to fit your families tastes and your grilling equipment. Just try it! You will not be disappointed. The flavor really gets absorbed by the potatoes and the lemon is delicious on the shrimp. So good and so easy to clean up. You will see!

Low Country Grill
Serves 4

Ingredients

8 small new potatoes, halved
2 onions, cut into 6 wedges
1 lemon, quartered
1 large garlic clove, quartered
2 ears of corn, cut into 4 pieces
2 links of smoked sausage, cut into 4 pieces
32 shrimp (about 1 lb.), deveined
8 small bay leaves
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Extra Spicy Mrs. Dash, to taste
Stock, water, wine or beer (optional)

Directions

Pre-heat grill to high heat for 15 minutes.

In the center of four pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil, layer ingredients. Start with 4 potatoes halves, 3 onions wedges, 1 lemon wedge, a piece of garlic, 2 corn pieces and 2 pieces of sausage. Top each with 8 shrimp, season each with salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash. Tuck 2 bay leaves in each packet. (Add liquid if using.) Seal foil packet by rolling the sides of foil over the top; then seal and secure the ends. Place on the grill lowering temp to medium. Cook at medium for 20 minutes. Remove from grill and allow to cool a little before opening.

Jambalaya Grill Packets

Guess what! I am still cooking with foil. In fact I made these Jambalaya Grill Packets three times before I finally took photos. I made it once just for me in recipe development, then I made it for the family. They all loved it. Then my favorite person in the world was here last weekend and I made it for him. I was busy having fun and did not even think about photos. So tonight I made it one more time so I could get photos to share with you. It is an easy, fresh twist on jambalaya. It has all the flavor of an oven cooked jambalaya, but the veggies are more apparent. And you do not have to heat up the house with the oven. You assemble the packets, place on the grill and come back 20 minutes later. Done! It is really a great summer meal. A super easy way to share a taste of Louisiana with your family and friends. I have made it with both white and brown converted rice; both work well. I think the white rice absorbs a little more liquid then the brown, but both taste great. I will caution you about seasoning. Rotel tomatoes have some heat so if your sausage is spicy go light on the creole seasoning. But if your a heat seeker, add red pepper flakes too. That is what I did tonight and it was deliciously spicy. So good! I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and friends.

Jambalaya Grill Packets

Serves 4

                  

Ingredients

2 cups converted white or brown rice

2 tsp. Chicken Tomato Bouillon

1 can Rotel tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

12 Shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 link of turkey smoked sausage, sliced

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

Black pepper, to taste

Kosher salt, to taste

Creole seasoning, to taste

2 bay leaves, torn in half

Handful of parsley, chopped

2 green onion, sliced

Directions

Pre-heat grill to high heat for 15 minutes.

Drain Rotel tomatoes reserving the liquid in a 2 cup measuring cup. Add enough water to the tomato liquid to equal 2 cups. Combine rice, bouillon and tomato water in a bowl stir and set aside for at least 5 minutes. Place tomatoes over rice mixture.

Chop garlic, onion, bell pepper, and celery place on top of tomato and rice mixture. Stir to combine and place in the center of a four pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Place a fourth of the shrimp, sausage and chicken on top of each packet. Season each with salt, pepper and creole seasoning. Tuck half a bay leaf in each packet. Seal foil packet by rolling the sides of foil over the top; then seal and secure the ends. Place on the grill lowering temp to medium. Cook at medium for 20 minutes. Remove from grill and allow to rest five minutes. Serve garnished with parsley and green onions.

Linking to:
Reasons to Skip the Housework: STH Link Party #81
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Chorizo Potato and Egg Tacos

Yummy! Yummy! Breakfasts tacos! Or in our case lunch. Dear sister was off today and I had a very light work load today at home. So I finally got around to making these delicious Chorizo Potato and Egg Tacos. I have dreamed about them ever since I discovered my love for chorizo. When I lived in Texas it was common to see potato egg and sausage tacos on breakfast menus. They were so good! I just knew chorizo would take them to a whole different level. I started with the chorizo, I knew cooking it would render some tasty fat to cook the potatoes in. I precooked the potatoes a bit in the microwave to give them a head start. They browned crispy in the chorizo fat absorbing all the flavor. Last thing to prepare were the eggs, fluffy and cheesy with the addition of a Mexican cheese blend. Everything was so good together in a warm tortilla. With the spicy chorizo they don't even need salsa. They are great on their own. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I will definitely make them again for years to come.

Chorizo Potato and Egg Tacos

Serves 2                                  

Ingredients

1 medium Idaho potato, peeled and diced

1/2 (9 oz.) tube of pork chorizo

1 tsp. vegetable oil (optional)

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

4 small flour tortilla

1 tsp. butter

3 eggs, beaten

4 Tbsp. Mexican cheese blend, divided

Directions

Place potatoes in a microwave safe bowl. Rinse potatoes with water until water runs clear. Drain water from potatoes, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3 minutes.

Place a pan over medium heat. Add chorizo to pan, cook stirring often until the chorizo is reddish brown with crispy edges. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add a little oil to chorizo fat if necessary and return pan to heat. Drain potatoes and add to pan in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Brown on one side for 5 minutes and then flip potatoes and brown for 5 more minutes. Continue cooking flipping potatoes until brown and crispy on all sides about an additional 5 minutes. Remove from pan and taste for seasoning adjust if necessary.

Place a dry skillet on high heat, when hot warm the tortillas on both sides until warm and blistered. Place in a clean dish towel to keep warm.

In pan used to cook chorizo and potatoes, lower heat to medium low. Add butter to pan; when melted pour in eggs and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Stir eggs gently folding until just set, remove from heat.

To assemble the tacos, place two tortillas on each plate. Place 1/4 of the potatoes, chorizo, eggs and remaining cheese on each tortilla.

Linking to:
My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Reasons to Skip the Housework: STH Link Party #81
The Lazy Gastronome: Taco Tuesday Link Party

Chorizo Tacos

Okay I am way too old to just be discovering Chorizo. Mom, dear sister and I tried a taqueria that was mentioned in the paper recently. Taqueria La Michoacana boosts they have the "Best Mexican Tacos in Town". The Shreveport Times article and many others support their claim. They all commented that their dishes are authentic Mexican. We tried four different types of tacos. Dear sister tried the carne asada (roast beef). Mom and I were a little more adventurous and tried the cabeza (roast beef cheek) and chorizo (Mexican sausage). We all tried the al pastor (roast pork). I really really loved the chorizo! Everything was delicious but it just had the most flavor punch. Which is lucky for me because I can make the chorizo tacos at home. I don't know how I could do justice to any of the others. I will go back to Taqueria La Michoacana for all the others. I will not even attempt to make them at home. I have always been told chorizo taste like cumin, so I was never in a hurry to try it. They were wrong! I think it is so much more complex than that. I loved it! It was moist and crispy and so flavorful. I don't think it is healthy in the least but this is just one of those things you have to indulge in. In fact that is totally what I did this Friday. I made my tacos and thoroughly enjoyed them. In fact, I am looking at this photo and thinking when can I make more? I mean they are so simple, four maybe six ingredients and you have decadent tacos. I say four to six because the restaurant served theirs with lime wedges, green salsa and a fried serrano. I got so excited when mine were plated that I forgot all about the lime and salsa. Well let me tell you they are delicious both ways. So decadent! The chorizo is silky in texture and crispy around the edges. It is a little spicy too. I love the sweet caramelized onions and the fresh crunch of the raw onion. I love the fresh cilantro but it is not as noticeable in this taco as in others. It is just a fresh green topping. I love these tacos! Now I just need to stop myself from making them to often. Maybe it is a good thing I am just discovering the decadent fattiness of chorizo. Try it! Don't wait any longer!

Chorizo Tacos
Serves 2; Makes 4 Tacos

Ingredients

Canola oil
1 yellow onion, divided
1 tube (9 oz.) pork chorizo
Handful of cilantro, chopped
8 corn tortillas
1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Green salsa (optional)

Directions

Slice half of the onion into thin rings. Finely chop the other half of the onion and set aside. Heat a large pan over medium high heat, drizzle with oil and add sliced onion. Cook onion flipping often until translucent and browned on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Add chorizo to pan, cook stirring often until most of the moisture has cooked away and the chorizo is deep reddish brown with crispy edges. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel. Drizzle in more oil and add corn tortillas. Fry tortillas for a few seconds on each side to soften them. Remove tortillas to a plate lined with paper towels. To assemble a taco place two tortillas in a stack on a plate. Top tortillas with 1/4 of the chorizo, caramelized onions, raw onions and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and green salsa (optional).

Print It

Linking to:
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday
God's Growing Garden: Tuesdays with a Twist
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
The Lazy Gastronome: Taco Tuesday Link Party

Lit'l Smokies Egg and Cheese Drop Biscuits

I can't take credit for this idea. I was inspired! I saw I Just Like To Cook make Sausage Link Egg & Cheese Biscuit Melts on a YouTube video. I knew immediately I just had to try it on a smaller scale. So I used my families' Drop Biscuit recipe and some Lit'l Smokies sausages to make mini versions of Rod's breakfast treat. It worked great! So great I had to post right away. So excuse my iPhone photography and fingers in the photos. I will re-post one day with photos showing the steps in between. I just had to get this out there in case you were just waiting for a new breakfast idea. Check out Rod's video and recipe for the he-man size. Or try the mini version I made. You can even use your favorite biscuit recipe too. Heck, probably a can biscuit if you want? Just remember you will need one egg for every two biscuits. I loved the mini smoked sausage. Such a different spin on a sausage egg and cheese biscuit.

Lit'l Smokies Egg and Cheese Drop Biscuits
Makes 2 biscuits

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour*
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp. vegetable oil
2-1/2 Tbsp. 2% milk
2 Lit'l Smokies sausages
1 egg, beaten
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. 2% sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add oil and milk. Stir until just combined. Divide dough in half and spoon on to baking sheet. Press one Lit'l Smokie into each biscuit and bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile cook egg in a pan over low until softly set. Remove biscuits from the oven; top with egg, season with salt and pepper and top with cheese. Return to the oven for 2 more minutes. Serve hot.

*Note: Spoon or sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not  pack in the cup.

Linking to:
Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Diary of a Real Housewife: Friday Favorites
Ms enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Creative K Kids: Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party

Red Beans and Rice

In our family red beans means smoke sausage and white beans ham. I have already shared the White Beans and Rice recipe with you in another post. Now I am happy to share the red beans. Last week I made this pot of Red Beans and Rice. Dear sister brought me some beef and pork smoke sausage from Bergeron's. I decided to let the sausage contribute the sodium and not add any salt. I was really surprised how much flavor and seasoning can be contributed to the sausage only. I did add black pepper and Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy. It is quickly becoming my favorite no sodium replacement for creole seasoning. I personally did not miss the salt. I just added my usual shake of Tabasco sauce and was very happy. I am not going to lie, I saw a little salt being shaken at the table. But who could blame them, I know just how delicious this recipe is prepared the traditional way. So shake that shaker if you can. I am just happy to share a recipe that everyone no matter their health concerns can enjoy. You just can't beat a plate of Louisiana Red Beans and Rice.

Red Beans and Rice
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 lb. dried red beans (kidney)

1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced

8 cups of water

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 ribs of celery, chopped (including the leafy tops)

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 large bay leaf
Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy and black pepper, to taste (low sodium version)
    or kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and Cajun seasoning, to taste

2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped (I like more)
White or brown rice, prepared for serving

Directions

Rinse and sort beans. Cover with 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat and let stand, covered for 1 hour. Drain beans.

Add 8 cups hot water and return pot to heat. Add sausage, onion, garlic, celery and bell pepper, bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer; add bay leaf, Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy and black pepper (or other seasonings except salt). Simmer uncovered for two hours. Do not add salt (if using) until beans are soft. When beans are soft, add salt (if using) and taste for seasoning. Add seasonings to taste. Beans are done when creamy and not soupy. Stir in parsley just before serving. Serve over white or brown rice prepared as directed on the package.

After one hour

After two hours

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday
Creative K Kids: Tasty Tuesdays
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesday
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday