Taco Lentils (p1)

I love recipes and when I come across one that sounds interesting and or yummy I'll save it so I can give it a try some day. I have so many recipes that I could eat a new dish for each meal the rest of the year and still have more recipes left yet to try. Ha ha. Here is one that I found a month or so ago and thought I'd give it a try as I had everything to make it. Its extremely easy to make and tastes really good! This is one recipe that has many possibilities in how or what you put with it. The orrigional recipe is at a blog called: The Bakehouse (along with some other good looking recipes to yet to try).

Taco Lentils (p1)

In a lage skillet Saute:
1 c. diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil

When onion is translucent add and bring to a boil
c dry lentils
1 t (heaping) ground cumin
1/2 to 1 T chili powder
1 t oregano
2 1/2 t chicken broth Powder
2 1/2 c water 1 c salsa

Reduce temperature, cover and cook 30 minutes, until lentils are tender (mine were done at this point so do check them now and again!). If not done, uncover and cook for 6-8 minutes or until mix is thickened. Mash lentils slightly if you wish. Note: I think this would be good on a taco salad, in a whole wheat tortilla with lettuce, cheese and what ever additional toppings you like, toasted in a whole wheat tortilla with some cheese as a quesadillas and dipped in sour cream and or fresh guacamole, or serve as is on a plate with some roasted veggies or a side salad. No matter what you do with these lentils they will be yummy I'm sure! ENJOY!

Dee's Jambalaya (p2)

It was one of those days when ya go to the fridge and find a lot of things that need to be cooked up, but ya just don't know what ya want to do with them....that's what I was thinking in the kitchen last night. I've never made a jambalaya before but felt I had the ingredients to make a good one, and I figured I'd give it a try. The recipe idea is one I pulled off of the South Beach forum. Someone had adapted theirs from a recipe on cookinglight.com and I adapted it a bit further for my needs, taste and ingredients. It tasted SO good and has so much flavor and texture that I was very pleased and know we'll have it again in the future!

Dee's Jambalaya (p2)

1 lb (Hillshire Farm) smoked turkey sausage, medium diced
2 c medium to small precooked shrimp (with tail and shell)
2 large chicken or turkey breasts (boneless and skinless)
2 bell peppers (one green and one red), diced
5 to 6 celery stalks, chopped
1 to 2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 1/2 t finely chopped jalapeño pepper
4 c fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 c brown rice (Success brand)
Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning 1/2 T dried oregano
1/2 t dried thyme
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1/8 t ground red pepper
1 1/2 t garlic, minced (jar) 2 c low sugar tomato sauce
1 t dried basil
2 bay leaves
1 t salt (or more to taste) olive oil

In a Large stock pot add: tomato sauce, chicken broth, all the seasonings expect the creole, and the chopped jalapeno pepper. Set to medium low heat and add other ingredients as they are ready.

Season both sides of chicken breasts with Creole seasoning and place in a large skillet along with about 1 T of olive oil. Cook the chicken well on one side and flip over. As chicken is almost done on other side, dice up the Turkey sausage and toss around the chicken in the skillet. I added about a 1/3 c of water and continued cooking.

Meanwhile dice up the veggies and de-shell and or remove the tail off of the shrimp and set aside.

When the chicken is browned well on both sides place it on a carving plate and continue to stir sausage until its lightly browned. Add the sausage and any pan drippings to the stock pot. (do not wipe or clean the skillet)

Dice chicken and add to the stock pot ( or if need be, cook a little longer in the skillet with a little more water until cooked).

Add 1 to 2 T of olive oil and toss in all the diced veggies and season with salt. Saute this for approximately 5 mins or just until soften but not overly done. (I liked the texture of the veggies not overly cooked). When veggies are done add to the stock pot.

Still in the same skillet (I never wiped mine clean from one ingredient to the next to keep the flavor going) toss in the shrimp with about 1 to 2 tsp of olive oil and a little creole seasoning, stir and heat slightly to mix the seasoning (about 3 to 5 min). When finished add this to the stock pot and stir well.

Let all the ingredients simmer on medium heat with lid. Stir now and again. After about 20 to 30 min add in Success brow rice, place lid back on and turn off heat. The rice will soak up the juice and so if you like more liquid you may add a little more chicken broth and tomato sauce, but I found this to be just fine as is. When rice is cooked through serve and ENJOY!!!

Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms (p1)

(this top photo is from the Kraft site, below are mine)
I got this from the Kraft site and thought it looked really good, and it was!
Our store had HUGE but flat Portabello's and so that's what I used. I also had a thicker cut deli roast beef and so I only used two slices per mushroom - and I made the mistake of adding more liquid and oil...(fight this urge as the mushrooms soaked it all up and then released it later on the plate. they tasted good but were a bit more soggy.)

Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms
Prep time: 5 min
Total Time: 15 min
Makes: 2 servings, 1 topped mushroom each

2 whole Portabello mushroom caps
1 T butter
1 tsp minced garlic
2 slices tomato
4 lg fresh basil leaves
10 to 12 shaved Roasted Beef
1 T water
2 slices of Provolone cheese
(I'd suggest to add a little salt on each mushroom, just before topping them)

Remove and discard stems (I'd suggest to save them for broth or casseroles). Clean the caps by wiping with a clean, kitchen towel, soft brush or paper towel.

Melt butter in medium skillet on a medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 min or until tender. Add caps, with top-sides down on skillet and top evenly with tomatoes, basil, meat and a little salt.

Add water to skillet; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 8 min or until mushrooms are tender. (don't add more liquids or the mushrooms will soak it up and release it later and they'll be soggy)

Place 1 cheese slice on each topped mushroom; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 1 min or until cheese melts. (I popped mine in the microwave for a bit and melted further)

These are really good. Have one as a snack or make two and serve along with a salad for a yummy meal! ENJOY!!!!!