I think I just made the best Marinated Grilled Chicken of my Life Ya'll!

Have you ever tried Sweet tea for a marinade base???? WOW!
I really think we had the best grilled chicken we have ever made. It was SUPER moist, the skin was crackly, it was Georgous and so great.
We ate late, and scarfed it up so fast I didn't get a pic. I will try and post one next time we make it.. There will be a next time SOON! Yes, Mam~ it was so good I would eat it again tomorrow. Wish there were leftovers!!!!

Sweet Tea Grilled Chicken

It doesn't get better than Shrimp and Grits, does it???

 Can you say YUMM???? This is what I made with my take home goodies from the ALL LOCAL FARMERS MARKET..

Fresh Local SC Large SHRIMP, and local stone ground grits, and local CAW CAW bacon....YUMM, I just had to say it again, I just LOVE shrimp and grits ya'll!!!!
This one comes with a warning-- This is a CHEAT meal! (but gluten free all the same!!!!- not low carb and high fat is not a great every day combination--but its too good to NEVER have-- I made sure it was atleast gluten free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fajita Night

Tonight was Fajita Night at our house. Fajitas are a great meal for the Paleo lifestyle. Super Healthy and YUMMY! and really not very much work truthfully. As Martha says, ITS A GOOD THING!!!!

So I made Flat Iron Steak and Chicken fajitas with onions, peppers, and mushrooms....and lots of yummy sides.

Sweet Lamb Curry

Awhile back I ordered a TON of Cubed Lamb Meat from TROPICAL TRADITIONS.com
We have used it a few different ways, our fav so far has been marinating it overnight in some combo of herbs, vinegar and oil--and then grilling it on skewers.

I had yet to try Stewing the meat. So here is my version of a Stewed Sweet Lamb Curry.

Beef, its whats for dinner.... (oh, and a Soup and Muffin recipe too!)

Last night for dinner we had BEEF Tenderloin, Asparagus, Sweet Potato Mash and a Salad. It wasn't the "planned" meal, but my friend brought over some amazing tenderloin that we sliced and grilled up- medium to med-rare- SO GOOD. So Simple. Just season and grill....

I also needed to make a special lunch for the kiddos for today, thier Maggie and PapPap were going to be taking lunch to them at school...

They wanted muffins and soup. I had some leftover Meatballs ( from my Saucy Balls recipe..) so I made up a quick soup. It was pretty yummy, and took 2 secs (well ok 15min maybe if you include cooking some rice to add in, but you can totally skip the rice...) Check it out....

Asian Chicken Slaw

This is a fast go to salad. Will be so great in the summer when its hot and you don't wanna touch an oven or a stove... Its great anytime though. I made it without the chicken as a side dish for dinner, then that night I tossed in the chicken and now its lunch for a few days for me!

Asian Chicken Slaw

Rotisserie Chicken, shredded ( or poach some chicken breasts and then shred if you have the time)

Half a bag of Shredded Cabbage Slaw

Half a bag of Broccoli Slaw

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Handful finely chopped Cilantro

Black Sesame Seeds (2 tsp)

1/4 cup slivered almonds

Dressing-

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup rice vingear if you have it, if not used white wine vingar perhaps?

3 T tamari ( gluten free soy sauce)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 T Sugar ( I used beet sugar, you could use honey...)

1 tsp red pepper flakes ( optional)

fresh pepper taste

**add a couple tablespoons sesame oil- its good without it too if you wanna leave the oil out) **

Directions:

Combine ingredients through Cilantro in bowl and toss.

Prepare dressing by combining all dressing ingredients with a whisk.

Pour dressing over the slaw and Toss. Cover to Chill for at least an hour.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and slivered almonds before serving.

• You can make this with all fresh ingredients too, just make your own shredded cabbage, and shred some broccoli and carrots up in a food processor. 
• The one above is a super fast supermarket version.. (But I do make it from scratch sometimes too...)
• sometimes you just need to grab, and this is pretty darn healthy even fast.
• you can toss in whatever you have veggie wise, add some celery, or even some spicy hot peppers perhaps??

Yummy Stuffed Peppers

Another cold and rainy day..I wanted to make something Comforting and YUMMY!!! and this on is totally PALEO friendly (the cheese is totally optional- but we do cheese, so I added it!) I served this with an big homemade salad. My niece Haley is enjoying learning to bake, so she made gluten free, almost no sugar strawberry shortcakes for dessert. They were super!!!

 Stuffed Peppers

4 green bell peppers

1.5 lbs ground beef 

Butter, 4T total, divided 

3 cans whole tomatoes ( I used home canned, you can buy)

1 small can tomato paste

1 small onion, diced

Italian spice mix, 2 tsp (or if you have fresh herbs on hand, even better-just add them last minute rather than when I direct in this recipe)

1 red pepper, very finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

1/4 cup diced green onions ( this is a guess-I didn't measure, went with a handful really)

1/2 cup mushrooms, very finely diced ( I used dried mixed mushrooms that I rehydrated, but fresh is great if you have them)

salt/pepper to taste

 1cup Shredded Italian Cheeses (optional for topping- great w/o too if you don't do dairy at all)

Directions:

First get your sauce going.. (if you want a short cut, buy a good quality no sugar added tomato sauce) otherwise...

Saute onion in 2T butter.

Add in garlic and saute briefly, then Add in your canned tomatoes (with juice), dried spices, and tomato paste.  Now puree all together using an immersion blender ( or if you don't have one you could use a food processor here) Next, Add 1/2 parmesan rind (optional). 

Set this on to a simmer and let it go while you do everything else ( stir occasionally)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Next prep all of your remaining ingredients. 

Brown ground beef in a dab of butter, and then drain off the fat. Add more butter to pan (2T) and now saute your red pepper and mushrooms till soft over a med-low heat. Next, add in one clove of garlic and chives and briefly saute. 

Next add in your beef and 2 or 3 ladles of your tomato sauce. Combine all thoroughly and then turn your heat to SIMMER and leave it be...

Place a ladle or two of the sauce, enough to cover the bottom of your 9X13 pyrex pan, now place in your prepped Bell Peppers, cover the pan with aluminum foil and put in the oven at 375 for 20 or 30 minutes. (You are just getting your peppers softened here) 

After they are semi-softened, pull them out and fill to overflowing with beef mixture. If you have any leftover just put the extra beef into the bottom of the pan with the tomato sauce. Next, ladle enough sauce to cover each of the peppers. Top with cheese (if you are using cheese) and put it back into the oven for approx 30 minutes, till nice and bubbly.

My kids all gave this a big thumbs up!!! They want me to make it again soon, so I thought it would be a good one to share. I hope some of you try it out!!!

Can you say COMFORT YUMMY FOOD??? -Chicken Fried Steak and Sweet Potato Fries

One of the things I have been craving- Homestyle Southern Cooking in any form that I can eat and not feel sick to my tummy. Gluten Free, and really pretty ok Paleo wise too-if its your only carbs of the day- maybe on a good workout day!!! (just a tad spread of gravy will do it....)

Country Fried Steak with Gravy

(this recipe is from www.flour-arrangements.com one of my fav blogs)
1 lb cubed steaks

For the flour blend--

3/4 cup sweet rice flour, very fine

1/2 cup tapioca

1/4 cup potato

1 tsp sea salt

black pepper to taste

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

For the egg wash--

1 egg

1/2 cup buttermilk (or just milk)

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

This recipe makes enough for about 1 lb of meat- use CUBED STEAKS...

Directions--

First mix up flour mixture. Next do eggwash/milk mixture.

Dip steaks in eggwash, then in flour. Do this step twice to get a nice crust.

Fry it up in a cast iron skillet of lard.

(you want enough oil in the pan that it will go up halfway up the side of your beef)

Make sure its sizzlin hot!!!!

You want to brown both sides, and then put it on a cookie sheet and shove it in the oven to get cooked all the way through. (Abt 10min at 350 should do.)

While it finishes in the oven make your  Country Gravy---

Drain off most of the fat in your pan, but leave a couple tablespoons worth at least. To this hot fat add a couple tablespoons of your fav All Purpose gluten free flour mix. Stir constantly, and when it forms a rue you can now add some milk. Add 1/2 cup, constantly stirring, add more milk if you need to till you end up with a pretty thin mixture. Now slowly bring to a simmer and it will thicken, if it gets too thick add more milk... Cook over low heat a couple of more min, then you have your Country Gravy.

Sweet Potato Fries

Chop up some potatoes into thin French Fries.

Soak them for awhile, even overnight... then rinse off and dry really well. You don't wanna put wet anything into hot oil! Ouch! So anyways...

Heat up a good bit of oil. (LARD is best, but Coconut Oil works too)

When its sizzlin hot drop in a couple handful of fried at a time. It will really bubble up, so do this in a deep pot. 

(If you want to check temps, you want at least 350degrees.)

When the sizzlin is gone, let it go a few more minutes till nice and browned and well fried!!!!

Now drain on paper towels and sprinkle with good sea salt.

Do the next batch the same way till you are done.

SERVE IMMEDIATELY.

J's Birthday bash- Fettucini Alfredo (GF style)

J's favorite food is Fettuccine Alfredo...

 and H's fav as well- can you tell??

Above is my Homemade Noodle before they went into the sauce...

Here is my Fettuccine Alfredo-

 

(sorry about my photography, I only got one quick pic before the eating began and my camera always seems to leave lots to be desired!!!!)

J and H both are in love with Fettucini Alfredo...so I have set out to make a darn good home version...
H said it was better than the CaddyShack's (her fav restaurant fettuccine Alfredo.)

I guess I scored, so I am gonna share of course!!!

For his birthday meal we had 

Fettuccine Alfredo, Caesar Salad, Daddy's Shrimp and Roasted Asparagus

I am gonna give all of my recipes, as I really made all of J's fav's, except Daddy's shrimp-he doesn't do the recipe thing, so its kinda hard to share-wish I could, its some of the best shrimp ever!

I finally made a good pasta noodle. I have never been happy with any of my noodles this far. I finally hit the jackpot.

And tonight I taught H to make the Alfredo sauce...

This meal took less than an hour to put together, if you just make the Fettuccine Alfredo alone, well about 30 min and you can be eating! 

If an 11 year old can make it, you can too!

Fettuccine Alfredo

now this recipe serves 10 or 12 people, so feel free to cut it down to size!!)

2 recipes homemade noodles, (see below)

8 oz butter

2 cups Heavy Cream

2.5 to 3 cups Parmesan Cheese

Pepper to taste

and that's it ya'll!!!! So easy peasy!!!

Just melt your butter, add your cream and warm it up, add your cheese and stir till melted together well. Toss with pasta and you are done!!!!!

Unless of course you want to take it one more step and add some grated whole nutmeg- just a few grates, and WOW the yummy factory hits the roof!!!

Homemade Noodles

(I adapted this from Gluten Free girl and the Chef's Cookbook)

2.5 oz sorghum flour

2.5 oz quiona flour

2.125 oz potato starch, plus some more for dusting later...

2 tsp xanthum gum

1 tsp guar gum

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs,plus 4 more whole eggs

Combine all of your dry ingredients in the mixing bowl as you are measuring. Give them a whirl to make sure they are well mixed. Next, add your eggs to the dough and turn on the mixer. Let it whirl on a medium for a couple, or 3 min till comes together well. Next, dump out your dough on a work surface and knead it a few times till it binds together in a nice ball. (It will be like a tough playdough-- but still pliable)
If its too wet add a tiny bit of potato starch till its right.
Next, cut your dough ball in half. and with each half cut that into 4 pieces. Cover it with a dish towel as you can only work with one piece at a time...
Now feed it through the pasta machine at setting 1. Fold it over on its self and feed it through again using this method a couple of times.
Move it to setting 2 and do the same thing.
Now setting 3 let it go through as one long sheet a few times. Then go to setting 4 a few times, and you are done.
Fold then sheets over on themselves, cover and do it again with each ball.

If you do not have a pasta maker, then roll each out as thin as you possibly can. Use 2 sheets of plastic wrap to make it easier!!

Now you are ready to toss it into boiling water ( in a couple batches). It will cook up FAST, so stir gently to make sure the individual noodles are broken up, and then take it out in 2-3 minutes. (you overcook it GF pasta will disintegrate on you.)

wow, this is a long post... So on to

Homemade Caesar Salad

4 cloves peeled garlic, chopped finely
1/2 tsp salt

Mash these up together till, well its a MASH...

Now whisk in:

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire (GF)

Salt and Pepper to taste

abt 1 inch anchovy paste ( more if you want)

2 eggs ( you can boil them for a couple min if you worry about raw eggs)

Now drizzle in:

1/2 cup good Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Toss with 2 heads Romaine lettuce and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese ( I like more like a cup of cheese myself actually)

SERVE IMMEDIATELY

My fav version of
ROASTED ASPARAGUS
another EASY PEASY recipe- and very paleo friendly to boot!
more a method, make as much or as little...

Preheat oven to 425.

asparagus, clean and wash and prep by breaking them off where they naturally bend. Dry well.

Spread them out on a sheet tray and drizzle liberally with EVOO. 

Toss with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1/2 a fresh lemon. 

Shove it in the oven for 15-20 min. (You want the tips a tad crispy, and the rest a tad limp...)

Good now, or cold later truthfully!!!!!

• for variation, a good sprinkle of parmesan cheese the last few minutes is great! 
• good without the lemon too, or you can use some spices even....

Daddy's Shrimp- wish I had a recipe to share!!! He is more of a dump a tad of this and a tad of that guy.... I am too really, but I am trying hard to pay attention to my amounts to record them here in recipe form- its tough when you don't usually measure!

The best Risotto I have ever made!!!!

I was in the mood for COMFORT food today. I had a migrane all the day long! FROWN!!!
I also wanted to use up what was left of my basil and fresh baby carrots from the farmers market this weekend.... So I decided to make a Spring Risotto-- cue in fresh asparagus!
Today is the first day of Spring After all ya'll!!!! Lets celebrate with a SPRING RISOTTO!!!
This may not exactly be Southern, but hey I used fresh local SC bounty to make it...

Spring Risotto with Asparagus and Baby Carrots

1 cup arborio rice

2 cups good white wine (one you would drink!!!)

1-2 cups more liquid ( water or a stock) 

3 T butter

2 T EVOO (good cold pressed)

1/2 large vidala onion, diced finely

2 garlic cloves, mince

 1 bunch asparagus

handful of baby carrots

1 cup Parmesan, freshly grated ( quality counts here too)

handful fresh basil, minced

6 slices bacon,cooked and broken into small pieces

1 tsp Herbs de Provence

 sea salt and pepper, to taste 

Preheat oven to 425.

First, clean your asparagus and your carrots. 

Toss with good EVOO ( 2 T I think, I didn't measure), salt and pepper to taste, and squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top. Toss all together well and then throw on a baking sheet. Set aside.

When your risotto is about halfway done (20 minutes in)

You will pop these in the oven at 425 degrees F and  Roast for about 20 min or so. 

Second, spread out your bacon on a sheet pan and have it ready to pop in the oven with the veggies for the last 10 minutes of their cook time. ( this is a very easy way to cook bacon, and it gets nice and crisp in about 10 min at  425)

Next, you want to make sure you have all of your ingredients for your risotto ready ( all the chopping, dicing, etc..) and make little piles for yourself- this is because once you start your risotto you will be stirring pretty much constantly!

To make the risotto:

Melt your butter and EVOO together in a heavy bottom pot ( I use my Le Cruset here)

Add onion and cook over med-low till translucent.

Add garlic and saute another min. 

Add Rice and stir well, coating all the rice with butter/EVOO and saute for another min. Add herbs de Provence. Stir.

Add first cup of white wine and start stirring.. From here on out you will be stirring pretty much constantly, (just  a nice slow stir). When all of the wine has been absorbed into the rice, add another 1/2 cup wine. When this is absorbed, add your last 1/2 cup wine. Keep proceeding in this manner, now using a bit of your liquid at a time, until your risotto is done. (You may not use all of your liquid.) When it starts to appear super creamy, and lush looking-taste it. It should have a tad bit of bite to it, but be pretty soft overall. If not add a tad more of your liquid, let it be absorbed, and taste again!When its to your liking--

Next, add your Parmesan and stir. 

Take out your asparagus/ carrots and bacon from oven ( if you haven't already) and chop them into pieces. Add your veggies and bacon to risotto and stir to combine. 

Now you are ready to dig in!!! Enjoy!

Salt/pepper to taste per plate using good quality finishing salt and fresh cracked pepper.

• quality matters here ya'll!!! You get out what you put in! - Use good stuff!
• you could use pancetta instead of bacon- just brown it off ahead of time- I would like this better probably, but I had bacon on hand
•  

Oh, by the way this got a 2 thumbs up review from my kiddos!!! Jack said I was the bestest mom ever!!!

My Saucy Balls ( aka Erika's Cheesy Mushroom Meatballs in Homemade Tomato Sauce)

This Saturday we went to the ALL LOCAL farmers market for the first time. Its is at 711 Whaley St in the Olympia Park neighborhood. Its one of the only all local open air markets in the South! I was in heaven!!!See my post about it for more information!

I came home with wonderful Salad greens, fresh baby carrots, and even EDIBLE flowers to toss in. Carebear was intrigued. She ate a handful over dinner with her salad, even as she stated she didn't really like them??

Perhaps the intrigue was enough to keep her at it. They were a tad spicy actually, a bite to it. But with my homemade balsamic dressing it was a darn good salad.! Wish I  had taken a pic!
There was also the most beautiful fresh basil. It was so fragrant!!!! I knew I had to make a dinner around it! I came straight home and made PESTO, and whipped up a fresh tomato sauce from the last of my canned tomatoes, and then made my meatballs- these I actually had even planned to make this weekend- but they were SOOO divine with the added fresh pesto!

Saucy Balls- aka Cheesy Mushroom Meatballs

2 lbs ground beef (  a mix of Wil-Moore farms beef and Caw Caw ground pork perhaps??)

3 Tbsp fresh Pesto (see my recipe below)

1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh tomato sauce ( see recipe below)

1/4 cup AP GF flour or GF bread crumbs- (whichever

you have on hand will work really, though breadcrumbs are the best option)
1 container mushrooms of choice,  cleaned and diced ( about 2 cups)-i used cremini

 1/2 cup onion diced

2 or 3 cloves garlic diced

3/4 cup good quality Parmesan cheese ( or mix of parm and asiago perhaps) freshly grated

2 eggs, gently mixed

salt and pepper to taste

(this makes LOTS of meatballs!- great to eat some and freeze some!)

First, add onions, mushrooms, and garlic to a food processor and pulse till  finely chopped.

Also pulse some fresh breadcrumbs ( or I often have some I keep in the freezer-day old GF bread is not so great, but makes great breadcrumbs!!)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined. (you don't want to overmix or your meatballs will be tough) Also in this step, start with a tad less tomato sauce, and add more as needed. Also if your end product feel too wet- add more breadcrumbs...If too dry, add some tomato sauce...

Next- make one tiny ball and fry it up-taste for flavoring. This step is important! If its too bland add some more salt/pepper, perhaps a tad more pesto???

Roll your Balls out next. I have found that smaller meatballs don't fall apart as easily, since going gluten free!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown the meatballs in Fat-- Use lard, or coconut oil here. Brown on all sides and then place on a baking sheet. Once you have browned off all of your balls you can either  stick the baking sheet in the oven for 10 min or so to finish baking, or add them to simmering tomato sauce and simmer for 30 minutes or so.  There are so many meatballs I usually do some of both. The baking sheet balls then go into the freezer spread out on the sheet pan till frozen. Now you can store them in a freezer bag for another time!!! 

The sauced balls- SAUCY BALLS- can be served alone, in a sammie, or with pasta!

Homemade Marinara ( tomato sauce)

(this is more a method than a recipe- you can make it a huge batch or a small batch easily)

Canned Whole Tomatoes ( I think fresh canned tomatoes make a difference here- so can next summer if you can!!!!)

Parmesan cheese rind ( the end of the parmesan cheese, that hard part..)

garlic cloves

diced onion

olive oil ( good quality makes a diff- cold pressed!)

Basil Pesto

2 dried bay leaves

salt/pepper to liking

Directions-

Saute diced onion and garlic in  butter in a thick bottomed large pan that is large enough to accommodate your sauce. 

When soft and translucent add tomatoes and Parmesan rind to pan. Bring to a simmer and add bay leaves.  

Simmer for at least an hour- the longer the better though- I shoot for at least 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. During the last 20 minutes add your fresh pesto. Stir well and continue to simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. (I don't often add any salt, as the parmesan adds enough for me. )

Lastly, take out whats left of your parmesan rind, and take out the bay leaves. You are ready to serve now if you want a heartier sauce. 

If you want your sauce to be a more consistant, smooth texture then just use an immersion blender and blend till smooth, or if you don't have one you could do this in the food processor or blender--just be careful, as its HOT.

( For ex: Last night I used- 2 quarts canned tomatoes, 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, parmesan rind, 1/4 cup pesto- this made enough to sauce my meatballs and to toss with some GF pasta for 3 kids and a hubbie with a tad left over)

Also- if you don't wanna do the pesto version, and I often leave that part out, just add torn fresh basil at the end, or if you must dried basil. If you do dried, you can add it in beginning of the simmering. 

Fresh Basil Pesto

(again more a method than exact recipe)

  Bunch of  Basil

Handful of Pine Nuts

EVOO ( good quality cold pressed extra virgin)

Parmesan cheese ( freshly grated good quality)

Toss your Basil, Pine Nuts and Parmesan into the Food Processor. Pulse till the mixture is combined well and broken down.( you may need to stop it and scrape down the sides a time or two)

Now with the Food Processor running, drizzle in EVOO until you reach desired consistency. You want it to be very wet, but not drowning in olive oil.So go slow, scraping sides down a couple times, and by all means taste with your finer along the way!

This is wonderful in the meatballs and sauce,

or great tossed alone on GF pasta,

or brushed on chicken and grilled or fried up on the stove top! 

Or really on anything in my opinion- you cannot beat FRESH PESTO!

 

My Balsamic Salad Dressing

(again more of a method- make as much or little as you want, the ratio is what matters)

1 part balsamic: 3 parts EVOO 

(from here you can add a little fresh lemon juice, some finely diced herbs of any kind,  a tad of honey if you like it less tart, some smashed garlic, and of course salt and pepper to taste, even some fresh pesto)

my exact recipe from last night-

1/4 cup Balsamic,

1 T lemon juice, 

3/4  cup EVOO,

2 small garlic cloves finely diced and smashed with salt to a pulp, fresh ground salt and pepper- just a tad

(You could even add a T of your fresh pesto!) 

Place all of this in a small jar with the lid on and shake away to combine. 

• If you add a Tbsp of mustard here then it will immulsify as you shake- meaning the dressing won't split back apart into vingear and oil while sitting) I  often add the mustard, as I like how it tastes- usually a champane mustard, or really any great flavored mustard works!!! 
• Tonight I left it out, as I wanted a simpler dressing. If you leave it out just be sure to shake your jar vigourously before adding to your salad greens.
• Stays well in fridg for a week or so.
• This recipe made enough for 3 large family size salads, I guess depending on how much you use. I tend to toss the salad as a whole and then then serve.
• If you add dressing to each plate you will probably end up using more each time.

Red Chicken Stew- Now come on, It just doesn't get more Deep South Ya'll!!!

Ok, I am trying this for dinner tonight. This is one of my all time favorite comfort go to meals in the winter time. I want to make it one last time before it heats up to Spring. I have to say I am starting to really have SPRING FEVER ya'll. But a little part of me still wants a few more soups and stews... 

I love warm and comforting foods. 

There are so many things about good ol' Southern Style Cookn that is so close to Paleoish-, well depending on your stance on Paleo--

We LOVE us some BUTTER here in the South! Can I get an Amen? 

and bacon grease, and bacon in general, well anything pork that we can smoke, or bbq...

  (And if you asked the Grandma's we love us some LARD just as much)

----I am looking into starting to render my own lard, as you cannot find it in its pure state here in SC. will let you know how that one goes---

Anyways, back to my story, I am going to try and convert the Southern Recipe for <sigh> Bobo's Red Chicken Stew <sigh> into Paleo Acceptable...( Bobo's is a version that is made in Edisto Beach, SC and it is my fav version)

As I was saying, in the South we love to use butter, and this recipe is not different, I think it actually calls for 1/2 cup of butter to be added IN ITS ENTIRETY as the last step the soup. 

However it also calls for an entire bottle of ketchup ( can we say sugar?), and lots of flour.....

This is where the adaptions come in.

NEVER FEAR..... This one will be worth it. TRUST ME, this takes time to make, it sounds odd--

yes 1/2 cup butter at the end, 

yes whole hard boiled eggs, 

but make it. 

again I will say, TRUST ME. 

THIS WILL ROCK YOUR LITTLE WORLD!

Erika's Paleo Red Chicken Stew

• 1 large chicken
• 5 cups water
• salt
• 4 strips bacon, diced
• 3 large onions, sliced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 bottle Worceshire Sauce    (GF)
• 32 oz primal ketchup)
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ( crank it up or down here depending on your heat tolerence)
• 1/2 cup flour, mixed with water ( I just used some AP GF Flour, or you could use just a GF starch like arrowroot??)
• 6 sliced hard boiled eggs
• 1/2 cup butter

Directions:

Prep Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 1/2 hrs

1. 1 Cover chicken with water in a large stockpot, salt to taste, bring to a boil and then simmer til tender.
2. 2 Drain, but save the broth.
3. 3 Saute bacon until almost crispy, add onion and saute until soft.
4. 4 Add 3 c broth, worcestershire, ketchup and seasonings; bring to a boil and thicken with the flour/water mixture Stir in butter just before serving; 

Serve over Fluffy Rice, if you do rice occasionally, esp if you need a carbo load after a big workout.Otherwise, make cauliflower "rice" and serve over this.

I take 1/2 scooper and form a "rice" mound in the middle of the bowl and then laddle the stew on/around this.

(I haven't tried to make my own cauliflower rice recipe yet, but try Elana's and check out her site, It's one of my favs!)

Coconut Curried Lamb with Coconut "Naan"

  I hesitated to put the pic, doesn't look that great, but it really was super tasty.

I made Coconut Naan for the kids to use to scoop up the sauce, or to pile to lamb mixture in...
It was a pretty big hit and oh so simple!

Coconut Curried Lamb with GF Coconut "Naan"

2lb grass fed lamb stew meat

l large can crushed tomatoes ( i used my canned whole tomatoes and just crushed them)

1 tsp curry powder

1 handful fresh cilantro, coarse chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 can coconut milk

Place all in CROCKPOT. Cook all day on low, or 4 or so hours on high.

Coconut Naan

4 whole eggs
1/4 c coconut oil
2 pinches salt
1/2 c coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
2/3 to 1/2 c coconut milk or water
Combine the flour, oil, baking powder, salt and eggs in a food processor. process until a thick batter forms. add enough liquid to make a somewhat loose batter.  Preheat griddle to med-high. Grease griddle very well with butter or coconut oil. Pour 1/4 c on a griddle cook till bubbling, flip and cook on other side.
makes 5
( you can use these as tortillas too if you wish too, though they are not my fave as a tortilla)

MAMA MIA PIZZA PIZZA

Do you see how it folds over?? It doesn't fall apart, it folds in two like a real pizza!!!!!

THIS PIZZA ROCKED.

The kids and I made it for lunch today. I had bought the mix at the local health food store, just to try out a mix...I am really more into making my own stuff from scratch. Truthfully I have yet to find a recipe for a homeade dough that I LOVE.
This one took only a short short time to put together, roll out and walaa, a pizza crust.
We did use the best ingredients. I made my own quick sauce.e used fresh mozz cheese...some feta, good quality parmesan, sundried tomatoes, steak and bacon as toppings (per my son's choice).


Doesn't this look wonderful??? I was shocked that this was so great from a gluten free mix. Rock on Bob's Red Mill!!!!!!! I will be buying this again and again. I will not stop in my quest to get my own perfect pizza crust from scratch, but this one was great. And my kids faces tell its all!

An Empty Table, Empty Plates, Full Bellies, Smiling Faces!!!!

• one tip, when you bake this on the baking stone make sure to put some cornmeal down first, my pizza did stick in a few spots because I forgot this step!!!
• I ALWAYS use a baking stone and always preheat it in the oven for atleast 30 to 45 min prior to placing your pizza on it!!!!!

CrockPot Apricot Chicken

Here is a fast, easy CrockPot Paleo Meal!!!!! HOORAY!!!!
The crock pot is my friend. These days so many of our evenings are full of sports practices, or church events...the crock pot comes in handy!!!!

CROCK POT APRICOT CHICKEN

5 chicken breast (bone in or boneless both work)

1/2 cup roughly chopped dried apricots

2 Tbsp Gluten Free Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Mustard ( I used a white wine mustard)

 1 tsp ginger

pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Place Chicken in bottom of pot. (If you are using boneless breast add a couple TBSP cocconut oil or butter to bottom)

Combine all other ingredients together and pour over chicken. 

Place in crock pot and cook on low 5-6 hours (boneless) or approx 8 for bone in chicken.

( may cook on high for a shorter cook time- I just tend to throw mine together first thing in the am, then turn to warm when ready and leave it till dinner...)

Serving Suggestions: 

• shredded over top "cauliflower rice" with the sauce
•  shredded and serve in lettuce leaves with the sauce in the bottom of the crock pot
• even with real white rice- if you eat it (sometimes my hubbie and kids still eat white rice)
• or leave chicken pieces whole, and serve with roasted veggies

VERDICT:This was very yummy. The sugars in the apricots make this dish rather sweet, but the kids LOVE that! - SUPER KID MEAL!

Chorizo- maybe not a Southern Ingredient, but Yummy none the less

So I found some Chorizo in the grocery store this week. Not the links that are already cooked. But ground Chorizo. This is something that is not found often here in South Carolina, usually I can only find the precooked links.  I was excited, and could hardly wait to come home and make, well something....

My first memory of Chorizo was back in college, I had a friend, Emilie, who had lived for a few years growing up in Spain. She made fresh chorizo sausage just simply seared of,  so that it was nice and almost crispy on the outside of the links that she had cut on a bias, and she had us put them into soft rolls.We stood over the pot in the tiny apartment kitchen and sopped up the reddish fat drippings with the bread as we ate. It was something I had never tasted. It smelled heavenly. It had just a tad bit of heat, but not too much. The reddish color of the oil in the pan was unlike anything I had cooked with before, and it just tasted so wonderful. We ate until we were stuffed, and I think we would have eaten more if we had not run out. It was so simple, but so Yummy. My mouth waters just thinking of the memory.

So, with the first half of the chorizo I made these egg muffins:

Chorizo Egg Muffins

12 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 lb ground chorizo

1 onion, finely diced

1/2 red pepper finely diced

1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Saute chorizo until browned over med heat. Add veggies and saute till translucent and soft, med heat. Crack eggs into bowl, add eggs and remaining ingredients and whisk together briskly.

Pour into lined muffin tins and bake for approx 12 min, or until set.

These freeze well.

Reheat at 50% power for 1 min, then feel and repeat at 30 sec intervals until warmed through.

( you may add cheese to this recipe if you wish- a sharp cheddar, or a manchego, or monteray jack perhaps)

Next, I made a soup for our dinner tonight. I have a little bit of a cold and felt like soup....

Tequila Lime Chorizo Soup

 1/2 pd Ground Chorizo, ( or links diced)

1 onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 bag broccoli slaw, diced into small pieces

2 limes, juiced

zest of 2 limes

1/4 cup tequila

48 oz chicken stock

1 lg can tomato puree ( good quality) I used home canned

1 lg can diced tomatoes (good quality)

1 T cumin

1 t chili powder

1/4 tsp chipoltle chili flakes

Brown off Chorizo over a med heat. ( you do not need to add any oil here as it puts off plenty of its own fat immediatly),  then add all veggies except broccoli slaw. Saute over med heat till soft. Add broccoli slaw, and all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then turn to a simmer. Simmer for 45 min and then check veggies for tenderness. If they are tender enough the soup is done. Check for flavoring, adjust spices as needed.  ( When I do this soup I juice the limes over the pot and throw the whole lime in, then fish them out right before serving)

My Version of Texa Chili- Paleo Style

Gearing up for the Super Bowl I had to try and come up with some dishes that would not get us too far off from our Paleo lifestyle. So many of they typical food My DH would eat were decidedly non-Paleo to say the least.... So here is the spread I served

My Version of Texas Chili- Paleo Style
Sausage Jalapeno Poppers
Sweet and Sour Kielbasa ( this one was a give in, I admit-
sugar content kinda high, but no wheat-compromising)
Red Wine ( here there was usually LOTS of BEER) and Diet Gingerale

The chili and the poppers turned out really well so here are the recipes...

Texas Chili-Paleo Style

2 1/2 cups onion soup, prepared from dry mix

1/4 cup bacon grease

2.25 pds boneless beef round steak, cut into very small cubes

1.5 lbs beef sirloin sirloin steak, cut into very small cubes

0.5lb bacon cooked well and cut up in pieces

1.5 tsp salt

3 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp black pepper

12 oz tomato paste

12 oz tomato sauce

4 can diced tomatoes

4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

12 oz coke ( yea I know!! sugar - use diet if u must)

1.5 tbsp hot sauce- I used Franks

1/2 tsp Chipoltle chile flakes

1. Prepare soup from a packet of onion soup mix according to package direction, and set 2.5 cups aside.

2. Place bacon grease into large soup pot ( I used Le Crueset Dutch Oven) over med-high heat, and stir steaks into bacon grease until well browned. Pour reserved onion soup mix over meats and bring to a boil. Then Reduce to a simmer and cook for 7 min. Make sure you stir well to get up all the yummy browned bits off the bottom.

3. Stir in salt, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, chili flakes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and stir frequently to avoid burning the bottom. Next, Cover and reduce to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

4. Add bacon, cocoa powder, coke, and hot sauce. Simmer 20 min more.

It is now ready to serve if you must. It is really best if you now let it cool, put it in fridge 8 hours or overnight to let the flavors meld, and then serve the next day!!!!!

Sausage Jalapeno Poppers

2 (12) pkg ground sausage

2 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

30 jalapeno chili peppers

1 pd sliced bacon, cut in half ( pre-fry these half way**)

1/4 cup green onions, very finely chopped

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375F

2. Place ground sausage in large deep skillet and Cooke over med high till evenly browned. Drain.

3. Mix Sausage, Cream Cheese, Green Onions (or chives), and cheddar.

4. Cut jalapenos length wise and remove all seeds. Stuff each half with equal portions of sausage cream cheese mixture. Wrap with half a slice of bacon. Secure with toothpicks.

5. Arrange wrapped jalapenos in a large, shallow baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 min. ( I think I left Mine more like 30 )

**If you pre-fry your bacon half way the poppers will be crispier, if you don't the bacon never gets quite crispy enough**