Tag Archives: onion

Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Pasta Salad With Horseradish Dressing

Part of my cultural background is Polish, and I love it when my mother cooks Kielbasa sausage on a weekend morning.  So why not have it for lunch or dinner, too?  This is a spicy pasta salad that combines the classic summer flavors of sausage, peppers, and onion.  Hope you enjoy, as I have been this week!

Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Pasta Salad with Horseradish Dressing

Pieces:

  1. one kielbasa sausage link
  2. one read pepper
  3. one yellow pepper
  4. one half of a sweet onion
  5. 2 tbsp. olive oil for sauteing
  6. your favorite gluten free pasta (I used one half of a box/bag)
  7. 2 tbsp. olive oil for the dressing
  8. 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
  9. 1 tsp. lemon pepper
  10. 2 tsp. dried thyme
  11. 3 tbsp. horseradish mustard (or 1 tbsp. horseradish and 2 tsp. Dijon mustard)
  12. 1 tsp. honey
  13. 3 tsbp. chopped parsley
  14. salt and pepper

 

Process:

  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.
  2. Chop the peppers and onions into bite sized pieces.
  3. In a large sauté pan, sauté the peppers and onions in olive oil and salt and pepper until cooked (not crisp anymore).
  4. Cut the kielbasa lengthwise down the middle and then into bite sized pieces.
  5. In another large sauté pan, cook the kielbasa until cooked through and a little charred around the edges. (I didn’t use oil because the kielbasa has fat on it that should help it to sauté nicely)
  6. In a large bowl, combine the cooked and drained pasta, peppers, onions, and kielbasa.
  7. To make the dressing, put the olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon pepper, thyme, mustard, and honey in a dressing shaker or bowl and shake/stir to combine.
  8. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and stir to combine.
  9. Dress with chopped parsley.
  10. Enjoy hot or cold!

sausage pepper onion pasta salad

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

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Fifty Shades of Chicken… Recipes

I got this hilarious (cook)book from a friend, called “Fifty Shades of Chicken.”

50 shades chicken

 

It is a parody on “Fifty Shades of Grey,” but is all about chicken.  It takes the tone of the original book, but if you read closely, actually has chicken recipes in it, too!  It is very funny to read…spices up your time in the kitchen.  I recently made a recipe out of it that was delicious, called Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet and Sour Onions.  I made a few personal changes (like using half the chicken and onion amounts, using chicken broth instead of wine, and using ground cinnamon instead of a cinnamon stick), but loved the overall flavor.  I will definitely make this again.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet and Sour Onions

Pieces:

  1. one half pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  2. 1 tsp. chopped garlic
  3. 1 tsp. salt
  4. 1 tsp. pepper
  5. one half of a sweet onion, diced
  6. 1 cup chicken broth
  7. 1 bay leaf
  8. 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
  9. 1 tbsp. honey
  10. 2 tbsp. (vegan) butter
  11. (I added 1 tsp. hot honey mustard, too)

 

Process:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Toss the chicken with the garlic, salt, and pepper.
  3. In a saucepan, simmer the onion, chicken broth, bay leaf, cinnamon about 15-20 minutes, until liquid has almost evaporated.
  4. Add the honey and butter (and hot honey mustard).
  5. Spoon the mixture over the chicken and bake for 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. (Although next time, I would probably simmer the chicken in the onion mixture over the stove, covering with a lid until done.)

 

drippy thighsHappy Allergy Free Eating… and Reading!

 

 

 

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BBQ Smashed Potatoes

Summer.  Grilling.  BBQ.  Some of my favorite things!  I would probably say that BBQ sauce is my favorite condiment… I even choose BBQ sauce over ketchup for my French fries.  Here is an easy and different mashed potato side dish to complement any grilled summer meal!

BBQ Smashed Potatoes

Pieces:

  1. 8-10 small red potatoes
  2. one quarter of a red onion, diced
  3. salt and pepper to season
  4. 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  5. 2 tbsp. honey
  6. one half cup of your favorite gluten free BBQ sauce

Process:

  1. Wash and dice the potatoes into 1 inch cubes.
  2. Steam the potatoes just until fork tender, do not overcook.
  3. Let the potatoes cool.  Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Place the potatoes into a casserole dish, and smash the potatoes roughly.  Don’t mash until smooth; leave some texture.
  5. Season the potatoes with smoked paprika.
  6. Dice the onion and sprinkle on top.
  7. Drizzle the honey over the potato and onion mix.
  8. Pour the BBQ sauce on top.
  9. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
  10. Serve hot!

BBQ smashed tatoesHappy Allergy Free Eating!

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Shredded Potato Oh My Goodness

My mother learned this recipe from my Nana and these potato pancakes have marked many of my dinners growing up.  They are easy to make, delicious, and go with practically any meal.  For breakfast with a side of bacon.  For dinner topped with sour cream and chives.  Alongside a burger topped with ketchup.  I actually can’t believe I haven’t posted them yet!  To make them even heartier for dinner, you can add shredded zucchini or carrots.

Shredded Potato Oh My Goodness

Pieces:

  1. 4 large white potatoes
  2. 1 yellow onion
  3. 1 beaten egg
  4. 2 tbsp. gluten free flour
  5. salt and pepper to taste
  6. 2-4 tbsp. olive oil for frying

Process:

  1. Peel the potatoes.
  2. Grate the potatoes and onion into a large bowl (you can use a large cheese grater).
  3. Squeeze the potatoes and onions with paper towels until dry.  This step is critical!
  4. Add the beaten egg, gluten free flour, salt and pepper. Mix all together.
  5. Over medium heat and 1-2 tbsp. olive oil, add the mixture in quarter cup clumps and flatten with a spatula to make pancakes.
  6. Fry the pancakes on each side until golden brown.
  7. Enjoy with any meal!

platski

 

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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Ginger, Orange, Cashew Stir Fry

I love cooking and spending time in the kitchen, but sometimes weeknights are hard even for someone who loves to cook!  Stir fries are always quick and easy, and this one is particularly flavorful.  I made it vegetarian, but you can add your favorite protein… cubed chicken, steak, or tofu.  Also, these are my favorite flavors, but feel free to create your own and enjoy!  Just make sure the veggies don’t get too mushy… that can totally ruin a flavorful stir fry.  This recipe makes several meals.

Ginger, Orange, and Cashew Stir Fry

Pieces:

  1. one cup white rice, cooked to package directions
  2. 3 stalks celery, cut into small slivers
  3. 3 carrots, peeled and cut into small rounds
  4. one quarter cup diced white onion
  5. 1 tbsp. olive oil
  6. one red pepper, sliced into thin strips
  7. one green pepper, sliced into thin strips
  8. one cup frozen snap peas
  9. one cup frozen green peas
  10. one cup frozen corn
  11. one quarter cup gluten free soy sauce
  12. 3 tbsp. ground ginger
  13. 2 tbsp. honey
  14. 4 tbsp. orange zest
  15. one quarter cup chopped cashews

 

Process:

  1. Cook rice according to package directions.
  2. While rice is cooking, add sliced celery, carrots, and onion to a large sauté pan with 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Let them sweat for a few minutes and start to soften.
  3. Add the red and green pepper strips and continue to sauté just until veggies are barely soft.
  4. Add the snap peas, green peas, and corn.
  5. Add the soy sauce, ginger, honey, and orange zest.  Stir to combine.  Continue stirring until well combined and heated through.
  6. When just about done, add the cooked white rice and stir through.
  7. Top with chopped cashews and enjoy!

cashew stir fry

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

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Pasta Floren-bean

I had one of those crazy-get-home-late-and-don’t-know-what-to-make-for-dinner nights.  So, I looked in the cabinets and settled on just plain gluten free pasta with tomato sauce.  But then I looked a little deeper into the cabinets and decided to jazz it up a bit with some canned white beans, frozen spinach, and onion I had lying around.  It turned out wonderfully delicious!

Pasta Floren-bean

Pieces:

  1. one half box/bag of gluten free pasta (any size, any shape!)
  2. one half bottle tomato sauce
  3. one quarter of an onion, diced
  4. 2 cups frozen spinach
  5. one can drained white beans
  6. 2 tbsp. olive oil
  7. 1 tsp. dried oregano or parsley
  8. salt and pepper to taste

Process:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, sauté the diced onion in the olive oil over medium heat.
  3. When the onion is tender, add the spinach and drained white beans.  Sprinkle with dried oregano or parsley, and salt and pepper.
  4. Continue to sauté until spinach is cooked through.
  5. Add the jarred tomato sauce and stir to combine.
  6. When the pasta is done and drained, add your floren-bean sauce to the pasta and serve hot!

pasta florenbean

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

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Curry Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk

I LOVE curry chicken… the kind from your favorite local Thai restaurant.  I love the color, flavor, and the sauce that just goes perfectly over white rice.  Here is my first attempt at my own version.  Not perfect, but decent flavor.  I want to try again soon… any suggestions are welcomed!

Curry Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk

Pieces:

  1. 4 chicken thighs
  2. 2 tbsp. olive oil
  3. 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
  4. salt and pepper
  5. one half of an onion, diced
  6. 5 tbsp. yellow curry powder
  7. 2 tbsp. chili powder
  8. 1 tbsp. ginger
  9. 3 tbsp. brown sugar
  10. 1 tbsp. dried parsley
  11. 1 cup frozen corn
  12. 1 cup frozen snap peas
  13. 2 cups frozen pepper strips
  14. 1 can lite coconut milk
  15. 1 tbsp. lime zest

 

Process:

  1. In a large sauté pan, add the oil, rice vinegar, and diced onion on medium heat.  Stir for a few minutes to get hot.
  2. Add the chicken thighs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Crisp each side about 3 minutes, just to get the chicken browned.
  3. Add the curry powder, chili powder, ginger, parsley, and brown sugar to evenly to each side of the chicken.
  4. Add the corn, snap peas, pepper strips, and coconut milk.
  5. Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes, until chicken cooks through.
  6. Serve hot, over rice, and with grated lime zest on top.

curry chicken

 

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

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Bacon and Onion Meatloaf

I was actually in the mood for something hearty this weekend as the weather started to cool down (even though I am in total denial about summer ending).  So, I decided to make turkey meatloaf, and add the heartiness of bacon to it.  It was delicious!  I know that meatloaf has a bad reputation, but this turned out really well.  It is pretty healthy with the turkey meat, and the bacon added some flavor.  I will definitely make it again.  You could even make meatballs out of it if you wanted to.

Bacon and Onion Meatloaf

Pieces:

  1. 1 lb. ground turkey (or beef if you prefer)
  2. one half of an onion, finely chopped
  3. 7 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces (I use kitchen scissors)
  4. one half cup gluten free bread crumbs
  5. 1 egg and 1 egg white
  6. 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  7. 1 tsp. cumin
  8. 1 tsp. chopped garlic
  9. salt and pepper to taste
  10. 4 tbsp. ketchup
  11. 2 tbsp. honey

Process:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, onion, bacon, bread crumbs, eggs, paprika, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Use your hands to combine the mixture, but don’t handle it too much or make it too dense by squeezing too hard.
  2. Once combined, form it into a loaf shape.
  3. Place the loaf into a shallow and greased pan.
  4. Put the pan and loaf into the fridge for 10 minutes.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 65 minutes.  Halfway through baking, about 30 minutes in, drizzle the honey and ketchup on top of the loaf.
  6. When cooked, take the pan out of the oven and let it sit for about 5-7 minutes.
  7. Cut into slices and serve hot.

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

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Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Risotto

As I get ready to move, I wanted to make a meal that would have leftovers I could grab in the middle of box packing and unpacking.  So I made a hearty Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Risotto and it was delicious!  I used kielbasa sausage for a smoky flavor, and a few different peppers for a pop of color.  Hope you enjoy… and I will be back in a couple of weeks or so once these boxes start moving and I can cook again!

Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Risotto

Pieces:

  1. 1 cup of risotto rice, cooked according to package directions (you will need 3 cups broth)
  2. 2 tbsp. vegan butter
  3. 1 tbsp. olive oil
  4. one half of an onion
  5. one half tsp. sugar
  6. one yellow pepper, green pepper, orange pepper, chopped
  7. one (lite) kielbasa link, about 1 lb.

Process:

  1. Cook the risotto rice according to package directions.  I toast the rice first in the pan for just a minute, then add salt and pepper.  Add the broth about a half cup at a time over low-medium heat, until it is all absorbed and the rice is cooked.
  2. While the rice is cooking, chop the onion.
  3. Saute the onion in a pan with 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Add the sugar on top, and stir over low heat until the onion starts to caramelize.
  4. When the onion is just about cooked,  add the chopped peppers and other 1 tbsp. butter.  Continue to saute.
  5. When the peppers are just about cooked through, cut the kielbasa into bite sized pieces and add to the peppers and onions.
  6. Saute just until the kielbasa is heated. (I use the fully cooked links, so I don’t have to worry about waiting for them to cook through.)
  7. Add the cooked risotto and stir.
  8. Serve hot.

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

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Sunday Breakfast

I usually eat half of an avocado and some gluten free granola with soy milk for breakfast.  But I like to get a little more creative and involved on the weekends.  I also try to eat one egg on the weekends, in hopes that my body will be “less” allergic to them in the future.  I can handle one egg, but am scared to try more.  So, with my one egg indulgence, I made a sausage and egg scramble that was scrumptious on this lazy Sunday morning!

Basil and Apple Sausage Scramble

Pieces:

  1. one quarter cup onion, chopped
  2. one tsp. vegan butter
  3. salt and pepper, to taste
  4. one chicken apple sausage (cooked), cut into small pieces
  5. one egg
  6. one half tsp. smoked paprika
  7. 2 tbsp. goat cheese
  8. 1 basil leaf, chopped

Process:

  1. In a saute pan, add the onion, butter, and salt and pepper over medium heat.  Saute until onion is soft.
  2. Add the sausage and saute just another minute or two, until the sausage is browned.
  3. Add the egg, and stir to get the egg scrambled and cooked.  Reduce heat to low.
  4. Sprinkle with smoked paprika.
  5. When cooked through, pour into serving bowl.
  6. Add the goat cheese and chopped basil.
  7. Give it a stir and serve hot.

Happy Allergy Free Breakfasting!

 

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