Johnsonville Sausage

Hi Everyone!

We have added one of out yummy recipes to Johnsonville Sausage and wanted to share with all of you. We hope you love it just as much as we do!

http://pastaville.johnsonville.com/recipe.php?id=236

Mushroom Salad

One of my very favorite recipes came from the Food Network.Through out time I have adjusted it to my particular liking. Its absolutely refreshing and when your done eating it you don’t feel bloated and gross but rather healthy and like you have treated your body good.


Its also really fun to make and quick. You can add or change things around it to make it your own, if made large enough it really can be a whole meal and often is in my house. Even my youngest is always asking for seconds. Yes, my darling youngster who usually gets home starving and begging for the 2 apples, bread, grapes ect. Same one who is usually so famished that he is willing to trade places with an Child who has mal nutrition because according to him we BARELY feed him yet, he sits at dinner and goes “umm Mommy, I’m kinda full” . yes, that boy even ask for seconds, lol. Even my “recovering from too much fat and sugar intake” hubby has requested to add this one to our Holiday list. Trust me I am sure your family and friends will love it too.

2 packs of Mushrooms
1 Cup of fresh squeezed lemons
1 Cup of Olive Oil
½ Teaspoon of Salt
½ Teaspoons of Pepper
Half of ½ Teaspoon of Cumin
1 Bunch of thinly cut Flat Parsley
Fresh Parmesans cheese cut thinly
Mix well Lemon, Olive oil, Salt, Pepper ad Cumin and then add Parsley let rest for a bit.

Once you clean the mushrooms you can either cut them into slices or leave them whole. Add mushrooms to a bowl and then mix in the dressing. Slice Parmessan thinly and add to bowl. Then refrigerate for at least an hour to two.

If you would like to make it as a whole dinner you can add Chicken which comes out enormously tasty and your set!

Hispanic Black Beans

Black beans are a staple in most Hispanic dishes they are made in the mornings by Colombian’s traditionally from Medellin but I’ve seen, ate and found it all over the Country in a dish called “Calentao” which translates into “reheated” [last nights leftovers and eggs to be exact] its made of eggs and left over’s which usually has last nights rice, arepa, tomatoes, what ever meat you had chicken or steak, eggs and you guessed it, Beans! We eat it for dinner to accompany its only friend white rice [lately rown and Jasmine rice have become fast friends but customarily its White rice] or in the afternoon accompanied with a nice salad and chicken or steak.Cubans make it as Congri [Also knows as moros y cristianos] which is a mixture of both the rice and beans together with small pieces of pork. As you can tell we love beans! And depending on region it is black beans, black eye peas, red beans ect. This recepie works for most of them and you can always tweak it to your liking.

Depending on the meal or occasions we make them but Usually its Black Beans but as any good Southerner knows, if its New Years its good luck to make Black Eye peas in order to have prosperity for the Next Year.



Ingredients:

4 Cups ~ Black Bean


6 to 8 ~ Bay Leafs

1 Tablespoon ~ Oregano


4 packets~ Sazon Goya


2/3 cup~ Mojo


1/3 cup~ Lemon


1 Tablespoon ~ Garlic

1 Tablespoon ~ Cappers

1 Tablespoon ~ Green olives with pimientos inside
* I usually cut them into small pieces but they are great whole as well.

¼ Teaspoon of either Hot Sauce or if you’d prefer Vinegar
*[Hot sauce has Vinegar and the kick is subtle so I use Crystal but if your not into that regular or apple cider vinegar are okay as well]


1 piece~ Ham Hock
*[You can either buy it at the grocery store; just ask your meat department. If not save it when you make ham ect. And freeze it.]

2~Tomatoes sliced into small pieces


1~White Onions sliced into small pieces


3~ Long Onions sliced into small pieces


1~ Green Peppers sliced into small pieces


1~ Yellow Peppers sliced into small pieces


1~ Red Peppers sliced into small pieces
PEPPERS: I usually make it with only green but if in season or affordable price I will add on the yellow and red for that splurge of extra color and vitamins.


If you are making black beans from a bag you must let them sit in water for 24 to 48 hours, we call it “Al cereno” which isn’t very accurate as it not only in the evening you will have it out. This allows them to open and be ready for cooking. You may also buy easy and ready to use cans to avoid the hassle or like us in order to get them done quickly.

Add all the ingredients in and adjust allowing simmering as much as possible. After about an hour or two it will taste wonderful and be ready to pour. Smaller batches will cook quicker and if you want to make it an all day thing you can [we do so for our larger cook outs].

Once done on a different pot add 2 cups of rice, a pinch of salt and some slivers of onions with 4 cups of water and boil. Serve and be ready to hear PLEANTY of compliments.

Bon Appetite!

Mini Caprese's

This is a fun and quick healthy recipe that is guaranteed to be loved by all. A few years back in an awful attempt to make small fondant covered blocks for my brother’s baby shower I bought some small Noah’s art cutters. I’ve used them from time to time for things like sandwiches or to cut the crust that goes on top of my pot pies because I think they are cute [and would seriously have issues if they weren’t used after I spent the money, lol] Best of all you can use any small cookie cutters you might have.



Its incredibly refreshing and healthy, originally from the City of Campana Italy [Which either from Italian or Spanish would translate into the English word Bell ] and much like the Pizza was made to have the color of the Italian flag.

So, I decided to start using the cutters to make my mini caprese and they came out looking phenomenal + everyone loved them. WIN,WIN FOR ME =) Then, I figured we could put little tooth picks so that people could easily grab them for say a New Years party [which is what we made this one for one year] and they worked so great its become one of our easy, quick, delish and awesome little secretes. We also have a salad that we make with the same dressing and similar vegetables we will post later one.




1 Box of ~ mini Tomatoes
1 container~ Mozzarella cheese [Fresh ones are really the best but really any will do fine ]
1 Bunch~ Basil leaves I try to pick them with out having them get damaged
1 per half tomato~ Tooth Picks
½ cup of Olive Oil
2 TBS~ Lemon Juice
½ cup of ~ Balsamic Vinaigrette
½ a table spoon of ~Cumin [I always add it but you can decide not to and it wont affect this recipe]
1 TBSP~ Salt [Kosher sea salt is my fave}
1 TBSP~ Peppers



~Cut Tomatoes and cut in half each
~Pick basil Leaf by leaf . If they are small I add several and spread them so it looks like a lil flower
~Slice Mozzarella and use cookie cutters to make shapes. Any extra Mozzarella as you will have pieces left over once you’ve gotten your area cut I either give
to the kids to pacify them,lol.or just add them to a bag and cute later in order to put them on anything you’d like, salads, mini bread pizza’s ect. Don’t throw them way =)

Use the hard side of the Tomato down ward, add basil and then mozzarella and put toothpick through it. Put into whatever container you are using to store them in and once completed get a cup and add.



Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Cumin
Salt
Peppers


Stir quickly and either spray [yes if you have a sprayer Id say use it. If not a regular cup and fork will work well] Evenly disperse on the top of Caprices so the mozzarella and basil get some dressing on them too. Make more or less as you desire and put in fridge for at least an hour to cool off [If you don’t have time it works well with as little as 10 minutes but we like ours cool] and Done! .






If you would like to make the salad just slice all veggies, add some yellow,red, and green peppers and add some romaine lettuce and onion and your set. This is what it looks like.



Hope you enjoy! And if you can include the kids but watch them carefully, they might sneak a Giraffe or Lion depending on what you have.