Simple Sausage Soup

This one came out of no where.  I had the ingredients kicking around in the fridge and freezer and decided that they would taste good together.  Low and behold I was right.  Tonight I fed it to hubs for the first time and he loved it as well so now it is time to publish it.


It is a simple idea of combining sausage, pasta and leafy green veg.  You can use all sorts of combinations of the three but I've found the most tasty to be mild Italian sausage and fresh cheese pasta from the local Italian grocer combined with kale or spinach.  The ingredient amounts are rough estimates since that is how I roll.  This isn't baking so we can be loose about things.

Ingredients
serves 3

2c Basic Chicken Stock
2c filtered water
~1lb sweet Italian sausage (one large link or several small ones)
~2 cups shredded kale (two small leaves or one large leaf)
~6oz fresh cheese tortellini
generous pinch dried thyme
generous pinch dried marjoram
Celtic sea salt
fresh ground pepper

1. Remove casing from sausage and discard.
2. Cut sausage into 1/2" thick disks and cut the disks in half.  I found scissors to work remarkably well for both the casing removal and sausage chopping.  If you like you can roll the sausage into little balls but this isn't necessary.
3. Tear kale into bite sized pieces.
4. If you have thin stock, use 4c and don't dilute with water.  My stock tends to be very strong so I cut it in half with water as this is a mild soup and I don't want the stock to overpower the other ingredients.
5. Add sausage and kale to stock along with seasonings and bring to a rolling boil.
6. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.  Fresh pasta will only take a couple of minutes tops.
7. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Variations that I've tried and liked so far: chicken apple sausage, cheese tortellini and spinach or kale; sweet Italian sausage, cheese/prosciutto tortellini and kale.  You see the general theme here.  You want the spicy of the sausage combining with the creamy soft pasta.  The green veg helps more with eye appeal and nutrition than taste.  If you use spinach toss it in right before serving so that it only blanches rather than turning to mush.  Kale needs the longer cooking time to soften up.  This could also be made with GF pasta but I haven't found any tortellini in my area.

Baked Eggs #2

This is a slightly more complicated version of baked eggs since it has to be cooked in two stages.  Still fairly simple but it will take more of your energy to make.

Baked Eggs #2
serves one or two

vegetable saute
pastured butter
2-4 asparagus spears
1 leek leaf washed and dried
4-6 criminis (baby bella mushrooms)
1-2 kale leaves washed and dried

1. Break off course ends of asparagus.  Just grab and snap the end off.  It will break in the right place on its own.  Finely slice asparagus on the diagonal.  Discard the ends.
2. Peel and cut criminis into small bite size pieces.
3. Trim kale leaf off stem, discard stem, slice or tear into small bite size pieces.
4. Slice leek into 1/4" strips.
5. Saute vegetables in butter.  Set aside when everything is cooked through and mushrooms are starting to release liquid.

eggs

pastured butter

1T heavy cream

2 pastured eggs

vegetable saute from above

2T Parmesan cheese

2 strips of bacon (optional)

pinches of dried herbs: marjoram, dill, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary (in any combo)

pepper

sea salt if not using bacon

1. Place single serving au gratin dish in cold oven and preheat to 350F.
2. If using, cook bacon and crumble it and set it aside.
3. Mix cheese, herbs, salt and pepper together and set aside.
4. Once oven and dish are hot, very carefully remove dish and put on heatproof surface.
5. Melt butter in dish and swirl so it coats the bottom.
6. Add cream to dish.
7. Place sauteed vegetables down center of dish along the short axis.  This will divide the dish in half.
8. Crack an egg into each side of dish being careful not to break the yolk.  If you're not brave enough to do this, you can crack the egg into a cup and then pour it into the hot dish.
9. Sprinkle bacon on top.
10. Sprinkle cheese mixture on top.
11. Bake at 350F for 10-15mins until eggs are set the way you like.  If you want runny yolks undercook the eggs since they will continue to cook once they come out of the oven.

Simple Baked Eggs

Variations of this recipe have been popping up all over the Paleo blogs.  I finally tried it this morning with my own twists of course and not only are they really easy to make but they taste FANTASTIC!!  I'm in love with my new breakfast food.

Ingredient quantities are loose so don't stress over amounts.  I actually didn't measure anything.  I used pinches, dabs and splashes and it came out fantastic.  I didn't use any salt because the ham adds its own saltiness.

Simple Baked Eggs
serves one or two

2 pastured eggs
2t pastured butter
2t of heavy cream
1 slice of deli ham
1 fistful of baby spinach
2T grated Parmesan cheese
pinch pepper
pinch dried marjoram
pinch dried dill

1. Place two small single serving ramekins in cold oven and preheat to 350F.
2. Mix herbs, pepper and cheese together and set aside.
3. Rip spinach up into 1/2" pieces, discarding stems, set aside.
4. Cut ham into 1/4" squares, divide in half and set aside.
5. Very carefully remove hot ramekins from oven, add 1t butter and swirl to coat with melted butter.
6. Add 1t cream to each ramekin.
7. Line each ramekin with spinach.  Layer ham on top.  Don't worry if it clumps.
8. Crack egg into each ramekin carefully keeping egg yolk intact.  Break into separate cup/bowl if desired and then pour into ramekin.
9. Sprinkle cheese mixture on top.
10. Bake for 10-15 minutes depending upon how well done you like the yolks.  For runny yolks undercook slightly as the eggs will continue to cook after they are removed from the oven.
11. The eggs will deflate slightly after coming out of the oven.  Don't worry about it.
12. Gently remove from ramekins and let cool slightly before eating.  

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

I got an ice cream maker for my birthday.  Woohoo!!  Thanks sis!!

I've been trying to eliminate sugar from my diet so I'm finding regular ice cream much too sweet.  Now that I have my own ice cream maker, I can control all the ingredients from the type of milk, cream and cocoa, to the amount and type of sweetener.  So, I used local dairy and organic, fair trade ingredients.

Not sure this really qualifies as dark chocolate since there is milk and cream in it but it has very little sugar so it tastes like dark chocolate.  If you want to experiment, you can use other extracts besides vanilla.  For instance, orange would be nice.  This is on my list of experiments along with using stevia instead of sucanat (my son's girlfriend is diabetic and can't have sugar).  Other people use honey or maple syrup which are GAPS friendly.  These, however, will change the taste significantly.  I'm not a maple fan so that is off the menu for me.  I'll probably use honey at some point but not in my chocolate ice cream.

BTW, the coffee brings out the chocolate flavor.   You won't actually taste it in the ice cream.  Hubs says he can taste it but that was only after he saw me adding it.  When I used it before he never mentioned it.  Of course, you can always leave it out or add extra for mocha ice cream.

Ingredient
makes 5 cups

3/4c cocoa powder (I've been using Rapunzel)
4T sucanat (also known as rapadura)
1t instant coffee powder (don't use actual coffee because you don't want the water in the cream)
Generous pinch of Celtic sea salt
1 1/2t of vanilla extract (I actually use vanilla powder)
1c whole milk
2c heavy cream

1. Sift dry ingredients, including the vanilla, into the cup of milk in a saucepan.
2. Heat on stove while stirring to get ingredients to combine well.  Sugar and salt should dissolve into the liquid.  Do NOT let it boil.  You can taste test this and add more sugar, coffee or extract if desired.  Just remember you still have to add the cream which will sweeten it up some more and change the taste profile.
3. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
4. Add cream and stir well
5. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
6. Follow your ice cream maker's directions.

Vivaldi Salad con Pollo e Bello

This is a my version of Bertucci's Vivaldi Salad.  I got tired of their portions shrinking to minuscule sizes plus I knew the version I could make at home was healthier since I use all organic ingredients.

If I am doing badly, their are some easy cheats for this one.  Instead of my dressing, use Newman's Own Parmesan and Garlic for the mushroom caps and asparagus, and Balsamic Vinaigrette for the chicken and salad.

You can also double the salad dressing ingredient amounts and save the extra for later.  I always have a jar of this on my dinner table waiting for spontaneous salads to appear.  I use an old Grey Poupon jar.

Ingredients
serves 2

salad dressing and marinade
4T extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
4T good balsamic vinegar
fresh ground pepper
1/2t dried thyme (1t if using fresh)
1/2t dried marjoram (1t if using fresh)

salad base
Organic Spring Mix salad mix (amount varies depending upon how hungry you are)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (preferably free range organic)
2 large portabello mushroom caps
2/3 bunch asparagus

salad options
cherry tomatoes
cucumber slices
sliced scallions
red onion slices
Crasins
feta cheese crumbles
goat cheese crumbles
walnut pieces

1. Place marinade ingredients in jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well.
2. Put 1-2T of marinade in a large Ziploc bag along with chicken.  Add a pinch of celtic sea salt.  Seal and coat chicken well.  Let sit while BBQ heats up.
3. Peel mushroom caps.  Pour some marinade on the caps and massage marinade into cap and gills.
4. Snap off ends of asparagus.  Pour some marinade on the spears.
5. Grill meat, mushrooms and asparagus.  Put asparagus on cool part of grill since the tips burn easily.
6. While meat is grilling plate up salad greens and add all the options that you prefer.
7. When meat and vegetables are done slice up and place on top of salad.  Pour remaining marinade on salad.  

Creamy Celeriac Soup

Long time no see.  After some much needed sunshine  I seem to be on the upswing.  Gotta love vitamin D.  For me it seems to be my wonder drug.

Carrying on a tradition I started last year, I picked up one vegetable that I have never eaten while shopping at Whole Foods this week.  I seem to gravitate towards the weird looking ones.  I've been meaning to try celeriac (celery root) for a long time now.  I keep hearing about it on the Paleo blogs as it can be eaten pureed as a substitute for mashed potatoes.

Source

I fell in love with it the moment I cut it open.  It smells like the garden just after a spring rain.  The inside is riddled with holes near the roots but the flesh becomes solid as it approaches the top.

This recipe is easy and the amounts are rough.  If you boil it too long (as I did) and it gets too thick just add some more liquid such as stock, milk and/or cream to thin it out to the desired consistency.

Ingredients
serves 2

1 small celeriac
2c Basic Chicken Stock
large pat pastured butter (Kerrigold is the most readily available)
1/4-1/2c heavy cream (pastured or raw)
Celtic sea salt
fresh ground pepper

1. Use a paring knife to peel the celeriac.  Dice into 1/2" cubes.  Rinse with water and drain.
2. Put in pot and cover with chicken stock.  Bring to boil.  Turn down and simmer for at least 20mins until the cubes are soft.
3. Remove from heat.  Either add to blender in batches being very careful with the hot liquid or use an immersion blender and puree it right in the pan.
4. Add pat of butter, pinch salt, pepper and cream.  Stir to mix thoroughly.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Add more cream and/or milk to thin to desired consistency. Serve.

I've seen nutmeg and/or cinnamon used in some recipes.  I left it out here but I might use some nutmeg in the future when I'm feeling adventurous.

BTW, it tastes like celery and parsley combined.  Very good and a big hit with everyone in my family.

Holding Pattern

Sorry I haven't posted much.  I've been in a major relapse going on three months now.  I'll be back later when I'm feeling better and cooking again.