SANDRA’S SMOKY GRILLED MINI SUMMER PIZZAS

A perfect lunch or dinner option, especially with homemade coleslaw as a side...

Servings:  2

Prep: 10 Mins.

Grill: 10 to 12 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

2 mini 8” Boboli pizza crusts, or one 12”

--(These crusts are thicker and perfect for grilling)

6 tablespoons pizza sauce

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, minced

4 tablespoons medium shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley

6 seeded kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise

4 tablespoon shredded mozzarella

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

METHOD

Preheat charcoal grill.

Spread each crust with 3 tablespoons of pizza sauce, and drizzle both with ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar.  Top crusts equally by dividing the remaining ingredients in half in order listed.

Place prepared pizzas directly onto grill, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese melts and pizzas are golden. ~ Enjoy!

I like to serve these mini pizzas with homemade coleslaw:

Best Homemade Coleslaw recipe 

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Tip:  If you prefer to bake these pizzas in an oven, place them on a sprayed baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal and bake at 450 degrees on rack placed in lowest position.

SANDRA’S WILD ALASKA KING SALMON SMOKY KIELBASA STEW

A delightful salmon stew,
and the kielbasa adds
a bit of smoky flavor making this
absolutely scrumptious...

Servings: (4 to 6) 

Prep: 5 Mins. |

Cook 40 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

½ lb. (1/2 ring) smoked kielbasa, sliced

½ yellow onion, chopped

1 stock of celery, sliced

4 unpeeled red potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into ½” cubes

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 (14 oz. can) Italian stewed tomatoes, undrained, with tomatoes broken apart

½ cup tomato sauce

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons cooking sherry

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 whole bay leaves

1 teaspoon Martie’s Magic Organic Italian Seasoning

1 lb. boneless wild Alaska king salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1” cubes

--Parsley sprigs for garnish

METHOD

Martie's Magic
Italian Seasoning
(Organic)

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, sear the kielbasa over medium-high heat, just until golden brown.  Add the onion, celery, potatoes, and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.  Add all the remaining ingredients, except the salmon.  Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and let simmer for 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Add the salmon, folding gently to combine (so as not to break apart salmon pieces), cover, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes, just until salmon flakes easily with a fork.  Toss bay leaves.  Serve in bowls garnished with parsley sprigs, along with a salad and your favorite choice of warm crusty bread. – Enjoy!

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Tip:  It’s important to cut your potatoes into smaller ½” cubes and the salmon into 1” cubes so they both properly cook timing-wise per this recipe.

SANDRA’S SMOKY KIELBASA with ORGANIC SNAP PEAS N’ MUSHROOMS over RICE

This is so fast and easy to have a 
delicious meal on the table 
in under 30 minutes...

Servings: (6)
Prep/Cook: 30 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Steamed basmati rice:
1-1/2 cups basmati rice
3 cups water
½ teaspoon light olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt

***Kielbasa n’ Veggies:
1 lb. smoked kielbasa, sliced lengthwise, and sliced again into bite size pieces)

½ red onion, chopped
2 handfuls of fresh organic sugar snap peas, inner and outer strings removed
2 organic garlic cloves, minced
6 organic crimini mushrooms, sliced
freshly ground pepper, to taste

***Sauce:
1 pkg. dry Lipton onion soup mix

2 cups cold water
1 cup Alaskan Amber beer
2-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (or more, if you prefer a thicker gravy)

***Garnish

1 organic roma tomato, chopped

METHOD

To make the basmati rice, place olive oil in a heavy-bottom sauce pan and heat to medium-high, add rice and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring (this provides for a nutty flavor and keeps the rice from sticking together).  Add the remaining ingredients, bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat to low and let steam for 20 minutes (no peeking).

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to medium-high, and add the kielbasa and saute until slightly caramelized, for about 8 minutes.  Add the onions to the hot skillet and saute until just about translucent, then add the garlic, and mushrooms, and ground pepper to taste, and saute for 2 minutes.

In the meantime, in a medium bowl, whisk all the sauce ingredients together, and pour while stirring into the skillet; scraping bits off of bottom of skillet, and bring to boil to thicken.  Reduce the heat to low to simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve the kielbasa and sauce mixture over the steamed basmati rice, and garnish with freshly chopped roma tomatoes. – Enjoy!

SANDRA’S RUSTIC ONE-POT SMOKY KIELBASA VEGGIE DINNER

A rustic dinner
that you'll end up often
craving and making as we do...

Servings: (6)
Prep: 15 Mins. |
Saute: 30 Mins. |
Roast: 15 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

1 ring of smoked kielbasa, cut into ½” slices
4 potatoes, (2 medium russet, 2 large red) scrubbed, and cut into ¾” inch cubes
1 onion, roughly chopped
¼ head of green cabbage, roughly chopped
16 baby carrots, cut in half
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon wasabi paste (or freshly grated horseradish)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram, rubbed in palm to release herb oils before adding
1 bay leave
1 tablespoon worcestershire

-- Sides of grainy dijon mustard, and savory herb artisan bread for serving

METHOD

Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat, and saute the kielbasa, just until lightly caramelized. Add the potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic, and saute while occasionally stirring for 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, wasabi paste or horseradish, sea salt and ground pepper to taste, bay leaf, marjoram, and worcestershire. Bring mixture to a boil, and reduce to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, while occasionally stirring, just until the potatoes are fork tender.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Roast, uncovered, in oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until top becomes slightly roasted and carrots are crisp-tender.

Serve with slices of your favorite artisan bread, and a side of grainy dijon mustard for dipping – Enjoy!


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Tip: My husband and I like to serve this with Fennel and Raisin Bread that we purchase freshly-baked and warm from the local Breeze In!

SANDRA'S SMOKY KIELBASA and CABBAGE with ROASTED POTATOES

The key for this fabulous dish is to
cut the potatoes small so they
roast must faster...

Servings: (4 to 6)
Prep: 10 Mins. |
Cook/Bake: 30 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Roasted Potatoes
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

***Kielbasa and Cabbage
4 slices smoky bacon, cut into ½” strips
1 lb. smoked kielbasa, cut into ½” rounds on the diagonal
1 spanish onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon dried sweet basil
¼ teaspoon ground thyme
¼ teaspoon ground caraway
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup good-quality white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 large head of green cabbage, cut into quarters, remove core, and the slice into ½” thin wedges

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet lined with tin foil and spray with oil. Also, prepare a saucer and a regular plate by lining them both with paper towel, and set aside.

Par-cook the potato cubes in a glass bowl in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel on high for 4 minutes, tossing mid-way through for even cooking. Add the remaining ingredients, toss to combine, and spread evenly in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, while turning mid-way through for even browning.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the bacon over medium heat until browned and crisp. Remove bacon from pan using a slotted spoon and place on the paper towel lined saucer, reserving drippings in skillet. Add kielbasa rounds and saute until lightly caramelized, and remove to the regular sized paper-towel lined plate, again, reserving drippings. Add the onion, and saute until translucent. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, thyme, caraway, and ground pepper, and saute for 30 seconds longer.

Deglaze the skillet by adding in the red wine vinegar, white wine, and chicken broth, while scraping bits from the bottom. Add the thin cabbage wedges, cover, bring to boil, and reduce heat to low to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (depending upon your desired tenderness of cabbage), then return the caramelized kielbasa to the skillet, and stir to combine, cover, and let it simmer for a couple minutes longer to warm through.

Using a slotted spoon, ladle cabbage/kielbasa mixture onto a serving platter, along with the crispy potatoes on the side, sprinkle crumbled crispy bacon over the top, and serve hot. – Enjoy!


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Tip: It’s important to adhere to the recommended sizes for cutting certain ingredients, as this allows this entire entree to cook within a 30-minute timeframe.

SANDRA'S SEARED BRATS in BAKED BEANS with MAC N’ CHEESE and FRESH CORN

Some nights you just
need all these comfort foods
at the same time...

Servings: (4)
Prep: 12 minutes |
Bake 20 minutes

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Traditional Mac N’ Cheese
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (I prefer the ones with ridges)
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon worcestershire
2 cups milk
2 cups (8 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

***Seared Brats in Baked Beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 smoked brats, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut in half crosswise, and scored around edges (to prevent excessive curling)
1 (14 oz. can) Baked Beans (I prefer the Bush’s Original)
2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

****Fresh Corn - (cut off cob)
2 ears of fresh yellow corn on the cob
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon butter
kosher salt

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta as directed on package, (but a few minutes less so it is al dente, as it will continue to cook in oven).

While macaroni is cooking, make the cheese sauce by melting butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour and continue cooking for 1 minute, add milk, salt, pepper, mustard and worcestershire sauce, and continue to whisk just until bubbles form, about 2 more minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese with a spoon until melted. Drain macaroni and return to dry pot. Gently add cheese sauce over macaroni to incorporate. Pour macaroni/cheese mixture into an ungreased 9x9"x2” casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, start the corn on the cob boiling by covering with lightly salted water, adding sugar and butter, and then cooking, covered, for a total of 12 to 15 minutes.

Also, begin searing brats in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, until golden brown on both sides, and then remove to a plate, and set aside. Reduce the heat in the skillet to medium, and saute the onions, bell peppers, and garlic powder, just until the onions are translucent. Add the baked beans, and browned brats back to the skillet, and reduce heat to a low to simmer, just until the Mac N’ Cheese and corn are done.

Cut the corn kernels off of the cobs, and then serve up your dinner as shown in photograph. – Enjoy!

SANDRA'S STEAMING SWEET and SMOKY SALMON CORN CHOWDER

[Yay! My photograph of this 
Sweet and Smoky Salmon-Corn Chowder
 was featured on 6-12-11 at:  
http://www.bfeedme.com/
a-craving-for-creamy-corn-chowder/]

Serves (4 to 6)

Prep: 10 mins. | 
Cook: 50 Mins. to 1 hr.


I like to finely mince veggies to make my chowders to form a flavorful broth, rather than using too much flour as a thickening agent.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS:

¼ lb. bacon, cut into ½” strips 
--(I use Jerry’s Meats double-smoked peppered brand)

1 white onion, (½ finely minced, ½ chopped)

1 carrot, scrubbed (1/2 finely minced, and 1/2 chopped)

1 russet potato, peeled (1/2 finely minced, and 1/2 chopped)

1 rib of celery with leaves (1/2 finely minced, and 1/2 chopped)

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon old bay seasoning

3 cobs of fresh corn, husked, with kernels cut from cob (also, use the back of the knife to extract corn milk from cob onto a plate – and place the corn kernels on it as well, and set aside.)

1/2 lb. smoked salmon, kippered fillets, or jarred strips, with skin removed, and flaked
1 cup half and half

1 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

METHOD:

In medium heavy-bottom pot we’ll make the broth by sauteing the bacon until browned, adding the ‘minced’ veggies, and garlic, and then stirring until cooked. Sprinkle in flour and stir two minutes longer. Add some kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste, bay leaf, and old bay seasoning. (Reserve ‘chopped’ potatoes and carrots in a small bowl of cold water to prevent oxidation, and set aside.)

Add water to the pot so it is a couple of inches over veggies, (more for a soup, or less for a stew or chowder consistency).  Bring to boil, while scraping bottom to release bits, and reduce heat to low to simmer, cover,  and simmer for 30 minutes to make a nice broth (the vegetables should have nearly disappeared by then so you should now have a thickened consistency).

Add remaining ‘chopped’ veggies (but drain the water from the potatoes and carrots first), corn kernels and corn milk, smoked salmon, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, just until chopped veggies are tender. Check seasoning for salt and pepper, and if too thick add a bit of water at this point.

Remove pot from the heat (because we do not want the half and half to curdle when we add it next), now add the half and half, and fresh parsley. Remove bay leaf and toss.

Serve with prepared and warm french loaf slices that have been cut on the diagonal, and placed alongside your serving bowls of Sweet and Smokey Salmon-Corn Chowder. – Enjoy!

SANDRA'S CRISPY CHILI-LIME FRIES with CHILI DIPPING SAUCE

A very quick and easy appetizer
or side dish to prepare
that packs a punch of flavor...

Servings: (3 to 4)
Prep: 2 Mins. |
Bake 8 to 10 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

½ of a (20 oz. bag) of frozen Ore-Ida Crispers
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (or sweet)
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of ground pepper
-- jarred chili sauce, for dipping (or, click here for: Homemade Chili Sauce)
-- a wedge of lime, to squeeze over fries before serving

METHOD

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with oil, and set aside. Prepare a serving platter with a small container of chili sauce for dipping in center, and set aside.

Place the fries in a medium bowl, and sprinkle with chili powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and ground pepper.

Place seasoned fries on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer so they are not touching, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until crispy brown. Remove hot fries from oven and squeeze fresh lime juice over them, and immediately place on serving platter around the chili sauce while hot. – Enjoy.


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Tip: If you like more lime flavor, feel free to sprinkle about ¼ teaspoon of fresh lime zest over them while hot as well as its juice.

MAX'S SMOKY KIELBASA CREOLE with STEAMED RICE

This is such a fabulous dish
that Max prepares using kielbasa as he did tonight.

Other nights he'll change it up using halibut, salmon, shrimp/prawns
and/or scallops every few weeks...

(Serves 6)
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS

· 1 lb. ring of smoked kielbasa sausage
· 4 tablespoons butter
· ½ medium onion, diced
· 1 cup celery, diced
· ½ red bell pepper, diced
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 (15-oz. can) Italian stewed tomatoes, undrained (break up tomatoes)
· 2 (15-oz. cans) of beef broth
· 1 teaspoon kosher salt
· 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicier)
· 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
· 2 bay leaves (remove after cooking)
· 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)

--- 2 cups prepared steamed rice (i.e., 1 cup raw rice cooked according to pkg. directions)

Garnish option:
· Fresh chopped parsley

METHOD

In a dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat, add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic, cooking until tender. Stir in stewed tomatoes, beef broth, spices; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes (adding water, if needed); stir in parsley, add the kielbasa, and cook for 5 minutes.

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Tip: Refrigerate leftovers in separate containers, i.e., rice in one, and creole in the other.