Cabbage with Sausage and Bacon.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

6 strips of lean bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces.
1 small head of cabbage, chopped or shredded
1 medium onion (yellow or red) chopped 
2 medium carrots peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb kielbasa or Italian Sausage, cut into bite size pieces.
1 cup water (you can use low-sodium chicken broth if you prefer)
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions:

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is crisp.  Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain off the excess grease.

In the same pan, cook the kielbasa or sausage until the meat is done.

Place the cooked meat on ti the paper towels with the bacon.

Drain off the excess grease from the skillet.  Do NOT wash the pan or wipe it clean.

In the skillet, add a small amount of cooking oil (or you can use the grease drained from the meat) and cook the carrots for about 5 minutes.  

Add the cabbage and cook until both veggies are fork tender.

Add the onions and salt and pepper and cook until the onions start to get tender.

Add in the water or broth and cooked sausage.  Simmer about 10 minutes.  Don't over cook or the carrots will get too soft. 

When ready to serve, add the crispy bacon and toss to combine.  Transfer the cooked meat and vegetables to a serving dish.

This dish is great with cooked rice.

We had Spanish Rice and Black Beans with our main dish.

Our Family's Version of Good-ole Goulash

Good-ole Goulash

Goulash is a great meal and a good comfort food.  This dish is quick and easy to make and so versatile!  But you can ask every cook in our family and each will have a different version of how to make it.  I'm sharing below the way we make it in our home.
            Cris 

My husband prefers his Goulash heavy on the meat.

I prefer my Goulash heavy on the pasta.

Makes about 6 servings (or less - depending on how hungry they are!)



Ingredients

2-3 cups cooked elbow macaroni (prepare according to package directions)

1 lb. very lean ground beef (you can substitute ground turkey if you want)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes (drain off the liquid and set aside)
½ to 2/3 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp. McCormick Montreal Steak seasoning mix
½ tesp. dried Basil
½ tesp. pepper
½ tesp. salt
½ tesp. Texas Pete (optional)

Directions

In a large skillet, sprinkle the ground beef with the Montreal Steak seasoning and cook until the meat is almost done, breaking it up into little pieces as it cooks.

When the meat is about done, add in the chopped bell peppers and chopped onions.  Saute until the vegetables start to get tender. 

Add in the diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and Basil.  Stir to combine.

Stir in the cooked macaroni.  (Use as much or as little as you prefer for the meat to pasta ratio.)  

Over low heat, simmer the goulash for a few minutes to get everything hot.

If the mixture seems too dry, add in the liquid drained from the canned tomatoes.

When ready to serve, stir in the Texas Pete.


If you do not have or don't want to use the Montreal Steak seasoning, you can season with a little paprika and garlic powder.

Also, you can use red, yellow, and/or red sweet bell peppers with or in place of the green bell pepper.

Fresh tomatoes can be used in place of the canned tomatoes.  Remove the stems and skin from the tomatoes and dice them.  You will not have as much liquid as from the canned tomatoes so add a little more tomato sauce.

Free clipart courtesy of Dover Clip Art

Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

     My brother-in-law, Charlie Walker, has become quite a cook since he retired!  Here is one of his latest recipes.  Cris 


Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

Shared by Charlie Walker


4 or 5 lb pork tenderloin
1 pkg low sodium bacon or regular, your choice
Honey
Apple cider vinegar and Apple juice

RUB:
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tbs chili powder
2 tbs mustard powder
2 tbs onion powder
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs lemon pepper
2 tbs cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients for Rub together and mix well.

Rinse pork loin and dry as much as you can.  

Inject mixture of apple juice and apple cider vinegar throughout the meat.

Take your Rub and apply on top and bottom and the sides of the meat covering well. 

Then wrap your Bacon around the meat with each slice slightly overlapping the other. 

Then drizzle Honey over the top and spread with basting brush.

Cover and put in fridge at least 2 hr or better overnight. 

Take out and let set until it reaches room temp.

Pre-Heat oven to 400 and put in for 2 hr. 

Looking for internal meat temp of 145. 

Take out of the oven and let meat rest about 30 min before cutting to allow juices to absorb back into the meat.

free clipart by Dover Clip Arts