Sweet Potato Swiss Chard and Smoked Turkey Sausage Pie

I'd had this post ready to publish this past week and poof...it vanished on me. Ugh. With life as we know it around here lately I just didn't have the time to re-write it until now. Being blessed with a huge box of CSA produce is awesome...but with all the produce showing up at one time it can present some havoc in my fridge and with overload my brain with what I want to do with it all! This past week we were blessed with among a ton of other veggies a large bundle of swiss chard. Normally I go the easy but delicious route of sautéing it with some fresh minced garlic, olive oil and a dash of vinegar once it's wilted. Lately though I've been on a kick of making things that can be served hot or cold...as the weather warms up is so nice to have the option. For this dish the initial inspiration came from Martha Stewart's Swiss Chard Pie and the rest from my brain. The result...mmmmm!! You be the judge and give it a go yourself.

Let me know how it goes!!

Sweet Potato Swiss Chard & Smoked Turkey Sausage Pie

*makes one large pie

Ingredients

pie crust

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup cold water

3/4 tsp coarse salt

1 egg yolk & 1 tsp water, mixed for basting onto top crust

pie filling

1 sweet potato, chopped in 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 red onion, chopped in 1/2 inch cubes

salt & pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp olive oil (to toss together for roasting)

4 cloves garlic minced or 2 tsp minced garlic

1 lg bunch of swiss chard = 5-6 cups, stems diced & leaves torn

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 Tbsp all purpose flour

1 lb smoked turkey sausage, diced or crumbled

Directions

pie crust

In a bowl or mixer combine flour, olive oil, cold water, and coarse salt. Stir first with a fork to combine and then knead by hand on lightly floured surface, or with kneading attachment for around 1 minute. Cover dough with damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

pie filling

In a medium sized bowl mix your chopped sweet potato & red onion together with a generous dash or two of salt (I use kosher) & pepper, along with your red pepper flakes, onion powder and garlic powder. Drizzle olive oil over and then mix well. Lay out on parchment covered baking sheet and roast at 425F for 15-20 minutes stirring midway. Once finished let cool slightly and then place in bowl to mix with other ingredients. Turn oven down to 400F.

Heat a large, high sided, skillet over medium heat and then put your chopped turkey sausage and diced stems of swiss chard. Saute until chard begins to soften. Add in leaves and cook, stirring often, until leaves are wilted. Add to bowl where potato onion mixture is. Fold mixture together. Add parmesan and 3 Tbsp flour. Gently mix to combine. Place in pie crust when ready.

to assemble & bake

Spray deep dish pie pan/round cake pan (8in wide x 2in deep) with PAM or oil. Separate dough into two pieces; 2/3rd and 1/3 respectively. Roll out 2/3rd of the dough on a floured surface and then press into pie pan. Put filling on top and then take remaining dough, roll it out and then use it to cover the top of the filling. Press edges together and then baste the top of the pie with your egg yolk water mixture. Make sure to keep off edges of pie pan or it will burn! Take a knife and make small slits across the top of the pie. Bake 40 to 45 minutes at 400F until top is golden brown. Enjoy hot, cold or at room temperature! 

*If baking from frozen bake for 1 1/2 hrs...starting in cold oven.

Wheat Germ Flax Banana Muffins

Bananas. Mmmmmm. As much as we love and use them in their freshest state I'd have to say that I purposely buy the ones that are a little extra ripe at the grocery store whenever I can. One, because they are usually much much cheaper, and two because then they are already ready for me to use for baking or to freeze for smoothies!!

For healthy snacks for my family and friends I am always trying to come up with different types of tasty and as healthy as possible treats. These muffins are a great go to snack. They are awesome when they come out of the oven but they also freeze amazingly well...I put them in little ziplock bags once they are cooled and straight into the freezer. That way you can pull them out one or two at a time and let them thaw on the counter for 10 or so minutes, or pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds or so & they are as moist and delicious as they were to start with! I am always tossing one or two into my husband's lunch bag in the morning before he goes to work. By the time he's ready for one they are thawed and at at just the perfect temperature to enjoy! Give them a try and see what you think!

Recipe
preheat to 400F - makes approximately 16 muffins or 46 mini (mini muffins are not just for kids!!)

1/2 cup Quick Oats
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Wheat Germ
1/4 cup Milled Ground Flax
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Milk (I use Fat Free)
2 Eggs
3 Bananas, Mashed
1/3 Cup Vegetable or Olive Oil - can also substitute applesauce or plain yogurt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) - I like walnuts in mine!

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and set aside. Put sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla and your mashed bananas into your mixing bowl or large bowl. Add in your dry ingredients until mixture is well combined. Stir in chopped nuts if using.

Spray or oil your baking pans and then scoop in your batter. I've found that the baking times I've listed below work for me in my oven. The best way to know if your muffins/loaves are done is to check them with a tester - if it comes back clean, or to gently press on the top middle of them - if they bounce back once pressed in they are done! Once finished allow them to cool for a few minutes in the pan you baked them in and then move them to a cooling rack to finish cooling!

Mini muffins - 10 to 12 minutes
Regular sized muffins - 15 to 20 minutes
Mini loaves - 30 to 40 minutes
Bread loaf pan - 50 minutes to 1 hr

Broccoli with Ground Turkey Spanakopita

My kitchen is in serious broccoli overload right now...our CSA has been blessing us with loads of the delicious green vegetable these past couple of weeks, and I have been having fun experimenting with new ways of using it. Yesterday I came across a recipe for Broccoli Spanakopita that I thought sounded like a tasty starting point and jumped right into creating my own by tweaking it and adding a few other ingredients.


Start by chopping garlic, onion and broccoli. Then sauté it in a pan for around 10 minutes until slightly soft. Remove from pan and place in a large bowl to cool. Add a dash of salt and pepper - to taste. In the same pan cook your ground turkey with seasonings. Once cooked add into the same large bowl that the broccoli mixture is in. Stir to combine. Once slightly cooled (no longer steaming) add in your eggs and 3/4 cup feta until all is fully mixed together.

Lay one filo sheet down on a flat surface and paint with melted butter. Lay an additional sheet on top of the first and then put 2-3 tablespoons of your turkey broccoli feta mixture and roll up.

 Brush tops of spanakopita with butter and then place seam down on baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes at 400F flipping halfway through so that filo browns/crisps evenly. Makes ten spanakopita.

Recipe

preheat oven to 400F

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 onion diced (I used a red onion)

3 cloves garlic minced

1 lg head broccoli

salt and pepper

1 lb ground turkey

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

dash of red pepper flakes

3/4 cup crumbled feta

2-3 eggs

20+ filo dough sheets - Some of the spanakopita I wish I'd have wrapped one more sheet around to have a more even outer shell.

melted butter - for basting on filo sheets

**Directions written into text above. Enjoy!!

Recipe adapted from Steamy Kitchen

Rhubarb Strawberry Crumble

   

 Do you have a food that just makes you happy when you eat it? I do...Butterscotch. But that is for a totally different post! Ha! :) Today I want to share with you a recipe using another of my happiness foods, rhubarb. I'm not sure why it is that rhubarb puts such a smile on my face; perhaps it is because it was such a part of my childhood, or perhaps it's because for me it's been so hard to come by now that I don't live anywhere near where it grows. (Although I am trying to grow some here in Texas....my husband thinks I'm crazy but so far it's still living!!) Regardless rhubarb to me speaks of summer, family, friends and of good good times.

 

My little rhubarb plant!

Rhubarb Strawberry Crumble

 Filling:

¾ cup  brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp cornstarch

4 cups chopped Rhubarb

2 cups chopped strawberries

1 Tbsp Orange or Lemon Juice (can also add 1 tsp zest if you'd like)

Crumble:

1 cup quick oats

1 cup flour

½ cup melted butter

½ tsp cinnamon

½ cup brown sugar

dash of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix together your brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger & cornstarch. Once mixed add in the rhubarb, strawberries and orange/lemon juice and stir until combined. Place in 11x17 pan, or a similar cake pan that has been oiled.

 In a separate bowl mix together your oats, flour, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt. Add in the melted butter and stir until mixture is well combined. Spread the crumble evenly over the top of your rhubarb strawberry mixture and bake for 40-50 minutes or until edges start to bubble and crumble is golden brown. Eat warm, cold, at room temperature, alone, with ice cream, cream or in any manner that adds happiness to your life and belly. :)

Strawberry Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Why hello there... Yes, yes...I know it's been a while, a loooooong while. These past couple of weeks I've started getting the itch to start blogging again about the food I've been creating. So here I am. I don't promise that I will post weekly, but I will keep posting...

My overall hope and goal is that you my reader will read my blog posts and the recipes within them, take them and recreate them in your kitchen. Please make them your own and share them with your family and friends!!

This recipe is a fabulous one for using up bananas! I am always trying new ways to use my overripe bananas and this one is a keeper.  It is quick and easy to put together; everything is thrown in the same bowl, mixed together and done before you know it! Try it out...I think you'll find it is not only a wonderful day to day treat,  but it is also a great dessert to take to a gathering or brighten someone's day with.

Strawberry Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

**Makes two 9inch round cakes or one 9x13 sheet cake

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened or 1/2 cup unsalted butter & 2 heaping tbsp non-fat greek yogurt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp rum (optional)
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (aprox. 3 bananas)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 lemon & zest of (can substitute 2 tbsp lemon juice)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup diced strawberries

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 8oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
Powdered Sugar - to desired consistency
optional - 1 tbsp. rum or milk or 1/2 & 1/2


Preheat oven to 325 F and spray two nine inch rounds with PAM baking spray, or line with parchment paper and lightly grease.

In a mixer or bowl put the sugar, butter, vanilla and rum in and cream together. Also add in the yogurt if using (I find by using the yogurt it make a slightly denser cake but still tastes just as good). Add in the eggs, mashed bananas and lemon juice and zest. Mix well.

Add in the flour, baking soda and salt and stir to combine and then add in the milk while stirring. Mix until smooth. Fold in the strawberries and then pour half into each pan.

Bake for approximately 60 minutes but begin checking at 45 for doneness. Depending on your oven it may take more or less time. Cake is done when tester comes out clean or when cake slightly bounces back when lightly pressed on in middle.

Take cakes out of oven and as soon as possible out of their pans. Place on a drying rack sitting on their parchment paper or on a silpat mat which works great as well. Place in freezer for 30 mins (I flip the cake at 15), and then remove from freezer and allow to cool completely before icing.


To make the cream cheese frosting combine the butter, cream cheese, vanilla & rum/milk/1/2 & 1/2 (if using) and beat until smooth. Add enough powdered sugar for your desired consistency and taste! (I usually end up using at least 3 cups)

Frost and top with fresh berries and almond slivers if desired. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Recipe adapted from thekitchen.com

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

      Almost every Saturday since we've been married, minus a few random ones, and the ones that we've been traveling/moving I've made my husband pancakes. He is a pancake fiend....at least for my pancakes. :) 

For that very reason...that he loves MY pancakes....they don't get old to make. In fact I really love making them...just to see him smile and devour them! Doesn't hurt that they are healthy and delicious as well!! No added Sugar or Oil in them!!

Any of the left overs I let cool, spread out on a cooling rack, and then place in a airtight container or two to a ziplock bag, then into the refrigerator they go. During the next few days I make pancake sandwiches out of them...if they are for a breakfast to go I toss two of them into the toaster to heat up, and then spread peanut/almond butter on them and place fruit (bananas or strawberries or blueberries or a mixture of the all) in the middle and wrap it up in a paper towel to be eaten on the way to work. If they are for a snack later I do the same minus the toasting part and place them in a ziplock. Yummy!! I dare you to try them sometime soon!

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

makes about 12 pancakes

 Separate Bowl                                                                                                

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour                                                                                       

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour                                                 

1/2 Cup Oats                                                                        

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder                                                                        

1/2 tsp Baking Soda                                                                   

Dash Salt                                                                                      

             

Mixing Bowl

1 Egg, Beaten  

2 Ripe Bananas, smashed with fork

1 1/2 to 2 Cups Buttermilk  or (5 Tbsp Buttermilk Powder & 1 1/2 to 2 Cups Skim Milk)

Optional Additions

Chopped Walnuts, Pecans,  &/or any other fruit (I love adding in blueberries!)

1. Sift Flours, B. Powder, B. Soda, and Salt together.
2. Combine Egg, Bananas & milk. Stir dry ingredients into liquid until just combined. Fold in any additional ingredients.

 Pre-heat griddle or large skillet over medium heat and grease lightly. Pour even amounts of pancake batter onto griddle and allow to cook until tops of pancakes are bubbly; turn over and cook until light brown.      

We use plain or vanilla yogurt & fresh fruit on our pancakes, but I promise they are equally delicious with peanut butter, syrup or any of your favorite toppings!!           

                                                 

My husband helping with the fruit topping/decorating. :)

Strawberry Yogurt Oat Scones

 Strawberries are in season around here right now, and I've been buying at least a few pints every week for the past month. The last pint in the fridge was ready ready for the eating so I thought I'd make some fresh strawberry scones. 

For a long time I thought that scones were "fancy food", food you only ate at teas or showers or in sophisticated coffee shops. The older and wiser I get the more I'm realizing that foods that I may have previously deemed "fancy only" are really only just foods...foods that if I want to I can make or buy and eat at any time! So..if you've ever thought that scones were a food only to eat on special occasions, think again! They are actually quick, easy and a delicious breakfast or of course great when hosting a tea party/shower. :)

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup oats
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cup brown sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
⅓ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 egg, lightly beaten for egg coating

Lemon Icing
Juice of 1 lemon
Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 400F.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or baking sheet.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, sugar, and lemon zest. Add the cubed butter and use a fork blend to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it is the size of small beans. Add the yogurt and strawberries and stir with a wooden spoon gently until just mixed together. Do not over mix!!

Lightly flour a surface and place the ball shaped mixture on it. Softly press it into a square about 2 inches thick. Cut into 8 triangle shaped scones. Place onto baking sheet and  brush with beaten egg coating. Bake until golden brown, about 15-17 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack if you can!! :) Drizzle the lemon glaze on top of scone & enjoy!!

Scones are really best the day that they are made but they’ll keep for a few days in an airtight container. ENJOY!!

YUMMY!!

Adapted from Completelydelicious.com