Monday Meals: Corned Beef & Cabbage

Ingredients:

*3-4 lbs point tip or flat tip beef brisket

*1 can chicken broth (or chicken bouillon equivalent)

*1/2 lb peeled baby carrots

*6-8 medium red potatoes, quartered (or smaller)

*1 small head of cabbage, quartered

Directions:

Place meat in crock-pot. Add chicken broth (or bouillon) until it comes half way up the sides of the meat. Place seasoning on top of the meat (generally provided with the meat. If not, lightly sprinkle with coriander, mustard seeds, oregano, black pepper corns, and garlic salt). Set crock-pot to low. Leave alone for 4 hours. Flip. Leave alone for another 4 hours. During last hour in crock-pot, begin vegetables. Place red potatoes in pot. Add water until potatoes are covered. Cover with lid and broil until tender. Put carrots and cabbage in another pot with a couple cups of water. Cover with lid and steam until tender. Once vegetables are done, add to crock-pot with meat. Turn crock-pot to warm for 30 minutes to an hour. Cut meat and serve.

I did not have any photos of the end-product. My apologies.
*Delicious with a large slice of Irish soda bread.
**Now that St. Paddy's Day is through, my "Irish" cuisine is now over. Thanks for having patience with me.

Tasty Tidbits: Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)

Ingredients:

*1 package Yoki Pão de Queijo mix

*2 medium eggs

*1/2 cup water

Directions:

Put mix into medium size mixing bowl. Add eggs and water, stir together to form dough. Kneed dough for 3-5 minutes with hands. Divide dough into golf ball size balls. Place balls on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes in oven preheated to 350. Let cool for 5 minutes, then enjoy!

*Yoki mix was purchased at Lee Lee's Market (AZ). Yoki products are available at Ranch 99 Markets. Word of warning, Yoki products are in Portuguese (hence the recipe given here).**Balls may collapse slightly after cooling.
We enjoyed our pão de queijo on St. Patrick's Day with green chicken broccoli alfredo. Delish!

Monday Meals: Sausage, Fried Potatoes, & Green Beans

Ingredients:
*4 sausage links (I LOVE Aidells. SO many delicious flavors. See note below)

*2 Tablespoons oil (whatever works best for you)

*12 medium red potatoes (3 potatoes per person), quartered (or smaller)

*2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

*2 teaspoons garlic, minced

*1 teaspoon dried rosemary

*salt and pepper to taste

*1/2 lbs fresh green beans, ends snapped off

*4 Tablespoons butter

*dash of lemon juice

*salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute sausage in skillet. Place potatoes in microwave-safe bowl with a Tablespoon of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for approximately 5 minutes (potatoes should be tender, not fully cooked). Put tender potatoes in skillet with vegetable oil. Add garlic and rosemary. Fry for approximately 2 minutes. Stir. Fry another 2 minutes. Stir once more. Fry for a final 2 minutes, until potatoes are soft and fully cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. In large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Blanch green beans for 2-3 minutes, until crisp. Using clean skillet, brown butter. Once brown, add green beans and dash of lemon juice and saute for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*Aidells provides nutritional/allergen information in their FAQs section. I have copied the portion regarding gluten free for your convenience:Gluten, Soy and dairy are ingredients which we use in some of our sausages, meatballs and other items. Aidells products with gluten are Spicy Mango & Jalapeno Sausage, Teriyaki Meatballs, Spicy Bacon & Bleu Cheese Char-Broilers and Bacon & Cheddar Char-Broilers.*There are a couple dozen remaining flavors that ARE gluten free. Try them out. They are delicious.

Monday Meals: Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

*1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped and cooked

*1 can 20 oz enchilada sauce (we use Rosarita's)

*1 can 12 oz evaporated milk

*12-16 small corn tortillas

*2-3 cups shredded cheese (I prefer a LOT of cheese)

*1/4 cup black olives, diced (optional)

*green onions, diced (optional)

Directions:

Cover 9 x 13 glass pan with thin layer of enchilada sauce. Begin layering pan with tortillas, cheese, chicken, and black olives. Tortillas can be torn and added along with cheese, chicken, and olives (casserole method) OR cheese, chicken, and olives can be rolled in tortillas (standard method). If using casserole method, add portion of enchilada sauce and evaporated milk between layers. If using standard method, pour all enchilada sauce and evaporated milk evenly over tortillas. Top with green onions. Bake uncovered for in oven preheated to 350 for 35 minutes.

*There are SO many ways to prepare enchiladas; this recipe is similar to the mr.'s mother's recipe. Green chili sauce, pork, beef... the possibilities are endless.

**Great with refried beans or corn.

Pictured without green onions.

Delish Desserts: Tea Cake

Ingredients:

*1 cup granulated sugar

*1/2 cup butter, softened

*2 eggs

*1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

*1 cup brown rice flour

*1/2 heaping cup sweet brown rice flour

*2 teaspoon baking powder

*1/2 teaspoon salt

*1/2 cup milk

*1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

*4 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

Prepare 9 in. spring-form pan. Place a few drops vegetable oil in bottom of pan; coat entire pan with oil. Dust pan with flour, enough to lightly coat pan. Trace bottom of pan on parchment paper. Cut and place in bottom of pan. Set aside. Beat granulated sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to wet ingredients. Place batter evenly in spring-form pan. Place in oven pre-heated to 350 for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. In small bowl, combine confectioners sugar with lemon juice. Whisk to form glaze. Once tea cake has cooled, remove from spring-form pan and top with glaze. Dust with confectioners sugar.

Tasty Tidbits: Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:
*2 3/4 cups brown rice flour
*1/3 cup sweet brown rice flour
*1/2 cup sugar
*2 teaspoons baking powder
*1 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*1 carton 16 oz sour cream
*2 eggs
*2 Tablespoons caraway seeds
*1/2 cup raisins (optional. I prefer NO raisins)

Directions:
Prepare 9 in. spring-form pan. Place a few drops vegetable oil in bottom of pan; coat entire pan with oil. Dust pan with flour, enough to lightly coat pan. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine brown rice flour, sweet brown rice flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt. In small mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add sour cream and beat until well mixed. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring with wooden spoon. Dough will be thick. Once dough begins to ball up, fold in caraway seeds (and raisins, if using them) with hands (making sure hands are floured so dough does not stick). Place dough in spring-form pan; dust with flour. Pat dough down until level. Using a butter knife, make an "X" across the top of the dough. Place in oven pre-heated to 350 for 50 minutes. Bread should pop right out of pan.

*I just made this recipe for the first time (altered from one I found on recipezaar) and it turned out perfect! Using it for St.Paddy's Day.

**When I have sweet brown rice flour on hand, I like to incorporate it into my recipes. If you do not have both brown rice flour and sweet brown rice flour, you may use one type of flour (and yes, there is a difference between the two).

Monday Meals: Red Beans & Rice

Ingredients:
*8 oz polish sausage, thinly sliced
*1/2 small onion, diced
*2 cans 15 oz kidney beans (light, dark, or both)
*1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
*salt, pepper, garlic salt, and cajun spice (to taste)
*dash of white wine vinegar (or similar vinegar)
*2-3 cups white rice, cooked

Directions:
Saute onion and sausage until unions are transparent. Add tomato sauce, seasonings, and vinegar. Bring sauce to boil and add beans. Cook for ten minutes, until sauce thickens. Serve over rice. Garnish with finely chopped scallions or parsley.

*This meal is great served with GF corn bread. Perfect for a cold day.

Pictured with cubed meat in addition to sausage.