Chopped Steak with Bacon and Mushroom Gravy

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 pound ground beef, formed into 6 patties
1 package dry onion soup
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
2 Tbsp BBQ sauce
1/4 tsp ground thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the cream to a simmer and then add the dry onion soup mix.  Turn heat off, stir to combine and let sit for 30 minutes.  Cook bacon until crisp and place on paper towels.  Give the bacon a rough chop, reserving 6 pieces for topping the patties.  Drain all but 2 Tbsp of grease from the pan and reheat on medium high heat.  Brown the burgers well on both sides.  Do not cook burgers all the way through, just get a good color on both sides.  Remove to a plate and keep warm.  Add a pat of butter and Tbsp of oil to the pan and saute the fresh mushrooms, onions, and garlic for several minutes until the onions have softened and the mushrooms start to brown.  Add the broth and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.  Add the bbq sauce, thyme, bacon, and the cream sauce.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and bring up to simmer.  Nestle the burgers back into the sauce, turn down the heat, and cook until the burgers are done through.  Garnish each burger with a piece of bacon and a couple of mushroom slices.

Serves 6

Tamale Chili

1 pound ground beef, turkey, or venison
1 pound hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
2 cans stewed tomatoes, cut up
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp molasses
1 handful tortilla chips, crumbled
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground meat and sausage, stirring to break up meat.  Transfer to slow cooker.  Stir in undrained tomatoes, peppers, onion, chili powder, cumin, molasses, and 1 1/2 cups water.  Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.  Stir in chips.  Let stand, uncovered, 15 minutes.  Stir in cheese until melted.  Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Serves 6

Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all purpose flour
2 large onions, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand when added to soup pot
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper, season to taste
2 bay leaves
16 ox package frozen chopped okra, not breaded
12 cups chicken broth
3 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded
1 1/2 pounds raw, peeled and deveined shrimp
salt and pepper to taste
Hot cooked rice

Prep all vegetables and set aside.  Heat one Tbsp vegetable oil in skillet.  Saute the sliced andouille sausage until lightly browned then remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.  Cover the plate and set aside to a warm location until needed.

Heat 3/4 cup vegetable oil in soup pot over medium high heat.  Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is the color of a new copper penny.  Add onions, celery and bell pepper and saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.  Add the minced garlic and saute for a minute or two until fragrant.  Add tomatoes (crushing as they are added), parsley, thyme, red pepper flakes, bay leaves and cayenne pepper.  Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, while slowly adding a small amount of chicken broth if needed to prevent burning.

Add all the remaining chicken broth to the post with the vegetables, and bring to a boil.  Cover the pot and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the shredded chicken, frozen okra, and half the sausage to the soup pot.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Turn off the heat and add the remaining sausage and shrimp.  Stir well, cover and rest for 30 minutes.

To serve, reheat if needed. Season with salt and pepper and remove bay leaves.  Serve over hot cooked rice, adding cayenne pepper if you want a little more spice.

Serves 12

**FYI - combining meat with fish is a cardinal sin when preparing gumbo....but it's how my husband likes it.

Country Sausage Gravy

12 oz ground pork sausage
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup butter, cut into slices
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp minced fresh sage
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
2 cups milk
1/4 cup minced parsley

Cook sausage, onion, bell pepper, garlic and crushed red pepper in large skillet until vegetables soften and pork is lightly browned, 10-15 minutes.  Pour off grease.  Add butter to skillet; cook, stirring over medium heat until melted.  Sprinkle with flour.  Cook, stirring gently, 1 minute.  Stir in sage and thyme.  Add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until slightly thickened before each addition.  Simmer gently, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.  Add parsley just before serving.

Serves 6

Garlic Shrimp

4 Tbsp EVOO
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp water
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In saute pan, heat EVOO.  Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and paprika.  Saute for 1 minute, until fragrant.  Increase the heat to high, add the shrimp, lemon juice and water.  Stir well and saute until the shrimp turns pink and are opaque throughout, about 3-5 minutes.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Serves 3

Chicken with Spinach Dumplings

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese
1 tsp lemon zest
32 oz chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups shredded cooked chicken

In a bowl, combine spinach, eggs, ricotta, 3/4 cup flour, cheese and lemon zest.  In a large pot, combine broth and thyme.  Bring to boiling.  Place the 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish.  Take a small portion of the dough and roll into an oval shape.  Gently roll in flour.  Drop in boiling broth.  Do this for 1/3 of the dough.  Simmer 1 to 1/2 minutes or until dumplings begin to float.  Using a slotted spoon, remove dumplings.  Repeat process with remaining dough.  Return dumplings to broth.  Stir in chicken and heat.

Serves 4

Chopped Salad Tacos

1 can pinto beans, drained but not rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 medium zucchini, chopped into small cubes
3 Tbsp salsa
8 oz guacamole
1/4 cup shredded cheddar
flour tortillas

In saucepan, combine beans, corn, zucchini, and salsa over low heat.  Stir to combine just until ingredients are warm.  Put a small amount of guacamole on tortillas, bean mix, and cheese.

Serves 4

Key Lime Pie

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 oz white chocolate, grated
2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1 Tbsp canola oil

Filling:
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup key lime juice
1/2 tsp grated lime rind
3 large egg yolks
1 can (14 oz) fat free sweetened condensed milk
Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350.  To prepare crust, combine crumbs, sugar, salt and chocolate in a bowl, stirring well to combine.  Add butter and oil; toss with a fork until moist.  Press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of 9 inch pie plate coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes until beginning to brown; cool completely on a wire rack.  To prepare filling, place yogurt, lime juice, lime rind, egg yolks, and milk in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes.  Pour mixture into prepared crust.  Bake at 350 for 14 minutes or until set.  Cool pie completely on a wire rack.  Cover loosely, and chill at least 2 hours.  Serve with whipped topping. 

Serves 8

Antipasto Salad

Dressing:
2 cups fresh basil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup EVOO

Salad:
1 pound fusilli pasta
4 oz hard salami, cut into strips
4 oz smoked turkey, cut into strips
3 oz provolone cheese, cut into strips
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 oz black olive slices
2-3 oz sliced pepperoncini peppers
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Vinaigrette:  In a blender, add basil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper.  Blend until all the herbs are finely chopped.  With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add pasta and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Drain pasta.  In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta with the remaining salad ingredients.  Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. 

Serves 4

Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

4 servings of cooked rice (do not add salt or fat when preparing)
2 tsp dark sesame oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken, cut into chunks or strips whichever you prefer
3 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 green onions, sliced

Heat a large skillet.  Add oil.  Add chicken and cook 2 minutes on each side or until done.  Add cabbage, peas, and bell pepper.  Cook 2 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.  Combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, cornstarch and vinegar.  Stir with a whisk until cornstarch is dissolved.  Add soy sauce mixture to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring gently to coat.  Serve chicken mixture over rice and sprinkle with green onions.

Serves 4