Brownies.....

I love brownies!!  I really miss my old recipe.....it was so delish!  I have tried another primal recipe using almond butter BUT, don't be mad at me, I don't really like almond butter!  The recipe tasted more like the almond butter than the chocolate! 

I found this recipe yesterday and made it last night. Yummy!  My husband ate 2 pieces.  He kept saying how good they are.  That's a big deal to hear that!!

I used almond flour that I ground up!!

Closer...

I followed this to grind your own flour. It's a bit down in the post but Vanessa was correct.  You can make your own flour!  The first time I did it I did not have a coffee grinder.  But I got the Hamilton Beach grinder and it works very well!!  I used my Ninja Master Prep to grind down the nuts.  Then I sifted the fine particles out and put the larger pieces in to the coffee grinder.  This really works well.  I made a bit of a mess and it's a little noisy but you save so much money!!
A BIG THANKS to Vanessa for showing me the way!!

Turkey Soup

Today I made my Gumbo Soup with leftover turkey and the broth from the turkey carcass.   It was delish!!  Everybody should try this recipe.
Yesterday I made a Turkey Rice Soup.

I saved the drippings from the turkey. I refrigerated it.  I got a ton of what I call schmaltz.  I don't know if that is completely correct.  It's the fat that rises to the top of the broth.  I had over a quart of broth which was very flavorful.

Turkey Rice Soup
couple of tablespoons of schmaltz or olive oil
3 large carrots, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1/2 c wild rice, cooked to package directions
chopped cooked turkey (I probably added a 2 cups or so)
5-6 sliced hard boiled eggs
turkey broth (at least a quart)**

I sauteed the carrots and celery in the schmaltz until it was well cooked. 
Added the broth. Let it simmer awhile.
Add the turkey and rice.  Simmer some more.
Add the eggs and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!!

Both soups are lovely on a chilly day.

**Substitute: chicken broth

Beef Squash Bake

The other day we got a smallish butternut squash at TJ.  I was thinking what could I make with this. So here is what I came up with....

Beef Squash Bake 
1 butternut squash, peeled, cubed, cooked **
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 T olive oil
1 t sage
salt & pepper
1/4 c heavy cream ***
1/4 c mozzarella, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a baking dish.

Add the cooked squash to the baking dish.
Chop onion into large pieces - 1 inch or so.
Put oil in pan to medium heat. Add onion and sage, cook until clear.
Remove onion from pan and add it to the baking dish.
Put pan back on the heat and brown the hamburger.
When hamburger is cooked add the cream, salt and pepper to taste.
Add to onion and squash mixture.  Stir and add the cheese.
Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.
Enjoy!!

** I roasted the squash in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes.  Use non-stick foil on your baking sheet!!
You can also steam it for 10 minutes over simmering water in a steambasket.
*** You can substitute nut milk!

BBQ Franks

This is an adaptation of a recipe that I grew up eating. It was one of my favorite things to have for dinner when I was a kid.  My mom got the recipe from a Navy Wives cookbook.
Since I am Primal now it needed to change a bit!
I don't have a photo because I thought I already had one.  Darn!!

BBQ Franks

1 medium onion, chopped
2T bacon grease

½ t raw honey
1t dry mustard

salt and pepper

1t smoked paprika
1/2c ketchup (paleo/primal style, if you have some made)
1/2c water
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1T Worcestershire Sauce
1 pack of franks (I used Applegate’s)

Cook onion in oil until golden.
Add rest of ingredients except for franks. Split the franks the long way, place cut side down in baking dish.
Pour BBQ sauce over them.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

What the heck is a brussel sprout?  According to Wikipedia - The Brussels sprout is a cultivar of wild cabbage grown for its edible buds. The leafy green vegetables are typically 2.5–4 cm (0.98–1.6 in) in diameter and look like miniature cabbages. The sprout is Brassica oleracea, in the "gemmifera" group of the family Brassicaceae. Although named after the city in Belgium, few historians believe the plant originated there.
I don't like brussel sprouts...BUT my family does.  I would cook them once in a while because they wanted them. I like roasting vegetables.  I think it makes the vegetables taste so much better AND you are not boiling away all the vitamins when they are roasted.
So a few weeks ago I thought why don't I roast the sprouts with some garlic oil.  I did and they were fantastic!  I even eat them!!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1 bag frozen brussel sprouts, thawed and sliced in half longwise
2-3 T olive oil OR the oil of your choice
3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced

Place the oil and the garlic in a small saute pan over medium heat.  You only need to infuse the oil with the garlic.  It only takes a few minutes.
Place the halved sprouts in a bowl and pour the cooled oil over them. Toss
Place on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes until fork tender!
Eat!!

Dressed for School

Here is what my kiddo is wearing today!!  Everybody should have one!!

You can get one here or here....

Another Cookbook

i finally got my copy....B&N is soooo slow...

can't wait to look at it!!!

Only few more to get....

Here is the other one Well Fed....it is not out yet but we are all waiting!!

New Cookbooks

I got these in the mail the other day!!  I will have to pick a recipe to try - it's overwhelming!!
Do you have any paleo/primal cookbooks??

Elana's Chocolate Chip Cookies

The other week we were craving cookies!!  So I looked around and decided to try out this recipe from Elana's Pantry.
They were so delicious.  Although, in the recipe she said to form them into balls and place on parchment.  My dough was not stiff enough to do that so I just dropped the dough from a spoon!  Didn't matter  - these were very good and did not last long.  My non-Primal husband even loved them!!

Make sure you give this recipe a try.  I cannot wait until I get her cookbook!!!