Keto Chicken, Bacon, Guacamole Salsa Casserole aka “Clean the Fridge” Casserole for 4 people

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-2 1/2 cups of “cooked” chicken.  I used left over rotisserie and chopped into bite size pieces.
• 6-8 slices of cooked bacon…I lean towards LOTS of BACON
• Assorted veggies that were in the fridge that I needed to use up..Brussel Sprouts, sliced, assorted colorful peppers, chopped, broccoli, chopped..you can use spinach, kale, onions you name it…and I sautéed them all together in a pan with bacon grease because you need to cook the veggies
• 1 tbs of mince garlic that I added to the sautéed veggies along with some of my favorite seasonings…your choice!
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese…or you can use whatever you have on hand! I saved 1/2 of cheese to put on top
• 1 cup of Guacamole Salsa that was staring me in the face but the recipe from “Wholesome Yum” suggested a ranch dressing…to time consuming to make and I cut it with 1/4 c of sour cream to make is less spicy (tho if it were just for me, I would not have cut it) and saved about 1/4 c to put on top along with the cheese.

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. PREHEAT OVER TO 375 degrees
2. Mix ALL the ingredients into a large bowl and mix **reserving 1/2 cup of cheese & 1/4 c of salsa
3. Transfer to an 8×8 greased baking dish…
4. Top with extra salsa and cheese and in the oven it goes, uncovered
5. Should be ready to eat in about 20 minutes, when cheese is melted and it is bubbly!

THANK YOU Wholesome Yum for your recipe!!! It was delicious and this fed 4 people

 

Advertisement

Mango, Black Bean and Cauliflower “Rice” Salad

 

Since I have so much Cauliflower Rice on hand I was looking for recipes…and low and behold a frind comes by and brings me 2 mango’s!! Why?? I haven’t a clue. So I found this easy recipe at tastefulventure and had everything g on hand, so I made it !! It was quite good !! The sweetness of the mangos and then the squeeze of a full lime, for the dressing !! And it is sooo easy…well except for cutting the mango !! That is  for in itself!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of cauliflower chopped and put in food processor to rice consistency and THEN PUT IN MICROWAVE for about 4 mins and stir, and put in fridge to cool.
• 4-5 green onions chopped on an angle to look pretty
• a bunch of cilantro chopped (about 1/2 c or more depending on how much you like cilantro !!
• 1 TBS minced garlic
• kosher salt to taste..don’t be shy
• 1 large lime, juiced..(that means, squeezed)
• 1can Block beans drained & rinsed
• 1/4 c of red, OR orange OR whatever color pepper you have…I even used jalapeño…( or mix, it’s up to you !!)
• 1 mango peeled, cored and chopped !! And that, my friends requires that maybe you should google how to do it because it is a slippery son of a gun !!
• 12 grape tomatoes cut in half.

DIRECTIONS

Here is the Cauliflower cooked and cooled. I then added the green onions and the cilantro and jalapeño and stirred it up.

I then took the mangos, beans, orange peppers& tomatoes and arranged the ever so pretty so you would get the idea!!

Then I added the garlic and squeezed the lime all over it, added salt and stirred !! And this is how it ended up. Now mind you, this is half the recipe, seeing that it was only me, eating it!

I hope you enjoy it..!!

Make My Own Bacon??? Why Not!!

With the price of Bacon going up and up, and the amount that I seem to consume, it only seemed natural that I would try and make my own Bacon…but, how do it, I didn’t have a clue! And now, thanks to the internet, I researched, watched You Tubes and put my big girl panties on…and took the challenge!!

This process is so darn easy…it’s the PATIENCE of waiting for it to “cure”, that is the difficult part!! So, here we go! And, BTW, I made a Maple Flavored Bacon

INGREDIENTS: (this is for a 3 lb slab of uncured Pork Belly)

• 3 lb uncured Pork Belly
• 5 TBS Kosher Salt
• 5 TBS cracked pepper
• 3 TBS Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/2 c Maple Syrup (not necessary if you don’t want Maple flavored)
• 3/4c Distilled water…don’t ask me why but that’s what the recipe called for!
• 1/2 tsp Morton Quick Salt (this is the “curing salt” and available in grocery stores where the Pink Prague #1 is so hard to find unless you go on line)

First thing you need to do is buy some boneless pork belly! I went to Costco and picked this 9.84 pound slab at $3.69 a pound and came home and cut it into thirds.  The magic number of 3lbs/slab seemed to be what most recipes called for…so that’s what i did!

Next you “score” the fatty part and I vacu-sealed the other 2 and put them in the freezer.

Then gather your ingredients:

Kosher salt, Brown sugar, Distilled Water, Pepper, Morton Tender Quick (the curing salt), and Maple Syrup

Mix it all together, then pour on the slab, cover it in a container like this or a gallon zip lock bag, and put it in your fridge for the next 9 days…turning it over every morning!!

When you have “patiently” waited the 9 days, take the slab of pork belly out of the curing fluids and wash gently, taking off any excess remnants of the curing process, dry with a paper towel then put on a wire rack or a plate and leave UNCOVERED, in the fridge for 24 hours…(yup, more dang waiting…this is when I had to triple my ADD medications!!)

And NOW, DAY 10…FINALLY, it is time to smoke this baby!! I used a Traeger Smoker (thanks to my neighbor) and set the temp to “smoke…stuck a thermometer into it and ONCE AGAIN, “patiently” waited for it to register at 150 degrees, internally, but I must admit, it was not that bad to wait because the aroma “tantalized” every golfer that tee’d up their ball (I live on a tee box)…and it took about 2 hours!

At long last, I removed the long adorned “Smoked Gift from the Pork Gods” and brought it to my kitchen where, freaking ONCE AGAIN (lord Jesus, Mary & Joseph), I had to put it in the fridge to harden it so that cutting it would be easier!!!

I sliced the Bacon and then put it on a large 1″ cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil into a COLD oven…then set the temp at 400 degrees and in a matter of minutes (about 10-15 to be exact) I took it out and no, it was NOT crispy NOR should it be, but some little burnt areas around the edges…

And proceeded to make the MOST delicious BLT Sandwich on lightly toasted white bread, lettuce and tomatoes….and remember those golfers??? well they came back and wanted their very own BLT sandwiches!! So, that 3 lb slab was gone in a nano-second and the two in the freezer…they are defrosting as we speak!!  SOOOOO worth the “waiting”!!

 

 

 

Paleo BLT with Chicken & Guacamole

Romaine lettuce, guacamole, tomatoes, leftover chicken and bacon…that’s what’s for lunch!! How easy is that???

INGREDIENTS:

• homemade guacomole or store bought
• sliced tomatoes
• leftover chicken
• leftover bacon…or just made
• romaine lettuce leafs to use as “vessels” instead of bread
• add whole green onion, peppers…whatever you have in the fridge!!

Brussel Sprouts, Sweet Potato & Bacon Hash

Who would ever think that Brussel Sprouts would be used for breakfast???? Well I am here to tell you that this recipe from Kevin of Closet Cooking, is a perfect breakfast for someone on the Paleo Diet.  I took his recipe and added more vegetables to it and with an egg to top it off!! So go ahead all you “naysayers” and turn your nose up to it but you will miss out on something that yes, is different, but none the less it is delicious!  So gather all your ingredients, bake the bacon in the oven and while that is cooking chop up all your ingredients and be ready to go!!!! And don’t throw away that Bacon grease because I use it.  If you don’t want to use the Bacon Grease that is fine…olive oil works just as well…(doesn’t taste as good…)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 sweet potato peeled and diced
• 6-8 brussel sprouts thinly sliced
• 1/4 med onion, chopped
• 1 TBS minced garlic
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 8 grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 6 pieces of bacon cooked and chopped coarsely
• 3-4 mushrooms cleaned and sliced
• S & P to taste
• 1-2 eggs (your choice of whether to use or not)

Sweet Potatoes with Brussel Sprouts, other veggies and BACON make up this Paleo Breakfast!

Let’s start with my FAVORITE “Food Group”..Bacon. I bake it in a 375 degree oven for 20 mins until nice and crisp

Here are all my ingredients chopped, sliced and diced ready to go into the pan.

I take 2 TBS of the bacon grease (I “always” SAVE the bacon grease!!) and put into a saute pan. I then add the sweet potatoes and onion and cook for 5-6 mins until softened.

I then add 1 TBS of minced garlic (I prefer from a jar) and saute for 30 seconds

Then I add the rest of the Veggies and add more bacon grease if necessary (can never have enough of that flavor..) and sauté until the sprouts are caramelizing (brown) about 7-8 mins

Now the aroma is getting those hunger pangs going and time to add the bacon…stir al of this around about 1-2 mins and then make a “well” in the middle and add just a little grease so the egg won’t stick to the pan when cooked. Makes it messy to get out!!

Like so….

Now carefully, crack the egg and put it in the middle, season it with Salt & Pepper and anything else you want and then cover with a lid so that the egg will cook through..1 minute

1 minute should be plenty of time…

Then off comes the lid and look at the beautiful “hash” you have made and you can’t wait to sit down and eat it!!! I like to add hot sauce to mine, but that is totally up to your taste buds! This is PLENTY for 2 people and of course you can put another egg in there!

You can put any other vegetables that you may have on hand…it’s your palate to do whatever you want!  Thank you again, Kevin of Closet Cooking for your inspiration!!!! And to all you “naysayers”, JUST TRY IT!!