Sausage Red Beans and Rice

This was super easy! I came across an image if this dinner, on pinterest, but the recipes was just too much for me at this time.. dealing with holidays, I wanted something easy, and because of the holidays I wanted to slim it down on the calories!

Ingredients:

• 2 bags of the "boil in bag" brown rice. (Or 2-4 cups of cooked brown rice) Cook rice as directed.
• 1 Turkey sausage link (i used Hillshire Farm Turkey Polska Kielbasa)
• 2 cans of red beans (i used one that had cajun seasonings added.)
• 2 tablespoons of Cajun powder
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder (or 1/4 cup diced white onion)
• cooking spray

Directions:

1. Cook rice as directed
2. Slice sausage into quarter size pieces, 
3. Heat skillet to medium (spay cooking spray, saute onions if you added them) then brown sausage.
4. Drain one can of beans and rinse them
5. Add both cans of beans, and seasonings. cook until bean have begun to open.
6. You can add the rice to the pot, or serve the beans and sausage over the rice (which I did).

You can use white rice, if you hate brown. Normally white rice is what you use. This served a family of 4 plus left overs for lunch the next day!

Im addicted to sriracha. and I love things spicy, so I did put sriracha on my serving!

Bacon Cheese Burger Soup (crock pot)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 bag of frozen hash browns (the small square ones)
• 4 strips of cooked crumble bacon (reserved some for topping)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups canned chicken broth, divided
• 1 cup 1/2 and 1/2 cream
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces cubed cheese (I used Velveeta)
• shredded cheese for topping
• 1 small white onion (optional.. husband HATES onions.. so I had to use onion powder, about 2 tablespoons.If you use it, saute with garlic and meat)

Instructions

1. Preheat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic. saute, then brown your hamburger meat. Drain, and add meat to your slow cooker.
2. In a small cup, combine flour and 1/2 cup of broth. Whisk to combine, making sure it’s smooth. Add the mixture to your skillet, and then slowly pour in the remaining 2 ½ cups of broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and allow to cook until just thickened. Pour over meat in slow-cooker.
3. Stir in your remaining ingredients, through the black pepper. Cook on low for 2-4 hours. Just before serving, add in your cheese and stir until it is melted. Top with additional shredded cheese, and bacon if desired.

Serve with some crusty bread! (french loaf)

Bacon Parmesan Fettuccine

• Ingredients:
• 1 (9-ounce) package fettuccine pasta
• 2-4 slices smoked center-cut bacon
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1/3 cup half-and-half/ heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• Directions:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid.
  2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in the pan; crumble. 
  3. Add  minced garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in green peas; sauté 1 minute.  
  4. Add pasta, reserved cooking liquid, and half-and-half to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, tossing to combine. 
  5. Add Parmesan cheese and bacon (leaving some out for garnish) 
  6. Remove from heat. Add butter, salt, and pepper to pan; toss until butter melts. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese.