A New Twist on Jambalaya

I was quite taken with the simplicity of this stanza (part of a larger piece of poetry by Emily Dickinson) that was recently sent to me. It's a screen shot but last line reads  recordless, but for them. The imagery in each line speaks to a wintery landscape and the stanza can really stand on its own. Simple and perhaps makes you think or see something different about the landscape around you.   
A link to full poem https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51610/it-sifts-from-leaden-sieves-291 

Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish of Spanish and French influence. It originated in the Caribbean Islands and is a staple dish in New Orleans.
Jambalaya is a casserole that's cooked in the same pot as the rice. The holy trinity, Cajun holy trinity, or holy trinity of Cajun or Louisiana Creole cooking uses onions, celery, bell peppers in roughly equal quantities. This is the base for much of the cooking in the regional cuisines of Louisiana. Some variations include the use of garlic, parsley or shallots for onions. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya all start from this base.

Chicken and Sausage Penne Jambalaya
This recipe is a personal take on classic recipe made with pasta instead of rice, chicken and  sausages. It's a one pot meal ready in 45 minutes.  Seasoning amounts can be adjusted according to preference. The recipe serves four. It's a hearty and quite delicious with all the great flavors usually found in the traditional dish.   
Ingredients: 

• 1 TB. extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 cup each sweet onions, diced, celery, diced and mini red and yellow sweet peppers, diced 
• 2 chicken breasts, cut in small pieces
• 2 andouille sausages, cut crosswise into 1" thick pieces or 2 links Italian sausages, cut in 1 inch pieces. 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2-1 tsp. each Cajun seasoning and chili powder
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1- 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, basil and garlic 
• 3 cups chicken broth, low sodium 
• a few squirts hot sauce (Shiracha) 
• 2 cups dried penne pasta 
• 1/4 c. heavy cream 
• 3/4 c. shredded Cheddar 
• Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

• In a large skillet with deep sides, over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions, celery and bell peppers. Sauté until beginning to soften, stir in garlic and saute 2 minutes more. 
• Add sausage and chicken pieces, sprinkle with spices and cook until browned all over and cooked through. 
• Add in diced tomatoes. chicken broth, hot sauce and penne. Bring to a boil on a medium heat.  Reduce heat to low and simmer (uncovered) until the pasta is al dente and almost all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. 
• Stir in cream and cheese, mix well. Cook a few minutes more. Remove from heat , cover and let rest 5 minutes. 

Looking for a traditional Jambalaya recipe? Try

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2017/03/jambalaya.html

The World According to Bella

1-800-Pet Mobile

I was so hopeful yesterday when not one but two pet mobile trucks pulled up in front of the house. I just knew one truck had to be for me. After all this hot, dusty and very dry air I needed a bit of a makeover. Mrs. S says we all need a little pampering once in awhile. A pet spa right at your door sounded real good to me.

I pressed my nose to the window waiting to see what would happen next. A worker came out of each truck. Each one had on a AUSSIE 1-800-PET- MOBILE shirt. But sadly, both went next door. Soon afterwards I saw each worker carry out a small white dog and disappear into the truck. It's just not FAIR! each dog getting their own truck. And I got even more depressed when Mrs. S went online to check what pet grooming services I was missing.
Check out this long list

• Uses environmentally friendly products 
• Gives a "15 Step" Luxurious Groom for all breeds of Dogs and Cats includes cleaning the ears and the eyes and clipping the nails. 
• Does three full brush outs before, during and after the bath. 
• Does a complete bath with shampoo and conditioning followed by a double rinse. We gently towel dry the face and dry the body by hand... NO CAGES EVER! 
• Finishes up with a full brush and fluff out, a little fragrance, a treat and then brings you right back to your front door.

Of course it was the treat part that really caught my attention. Guess I'll just have to be satisfied with Mr. C's daily grooming service. He reminded me that his grooming service is free with an additional feature not offered by 1-800-PET-MOBILE , teeth cleaning and he gives out treats too.

To cheer me up Mrs. S booked us in at 

this coming weekend. We have tickets for the outdoor event that shows short films and videos and all starring dogs. I hear they even have special treats especially for all the furry guests who attend. Should be fun. 

Love, Bella
P.S. I've yet to see anything scary to report when out and about on my daily walks.  

Weekend Round-Up

GAME DAY SNACKS
It's that time of the year to get on your game day face and clothes and party on.

Consider these treats for your next gathering.

Mexican Cheesy Spinach Dip with Sausage

Cook's Notes: A tasty game day treat that combines two things people love Mexican food and spinach dip. It's loaded with Mexican flavor and easy to reduce the calories by using ingredients that are low in fat. Make it a day before and all you have to do is pop it in the oven,  heat it up right before your company arrives. Seasoning amounts can be adjusted according to preference.  
Recipe adapted from carlsbadcravings.com  
Cooking Tip: Advance prep makes assembly go faster. The sausage can be browned ahead and veggies diced. 
Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked sweet Italian or Andouille sausage, crumbled 
• 1 TB. olive oil
• 3/4 cup each sweet onions, diced and a combination of mini red and yellow peppers
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (10 oz.) Rotel Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, drained
• 1 cup frozen corn
• optional 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
• 6 oz. (1/2 bag) frozen spinach
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. each cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 3 oz. light  cream cheese
• 1/3 cup light sour cream 
• 1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup Pepper Jack cheese, divided 
• assorted chips

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet heat oil and saute onions and peppers for 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute 2 minutes more. 
• Stir in cooked crumbled sausage,tomatoes, corn, beans if using, frozen spinach, spices and mayonnaise. Heat until warmed through. Reduce heat to low, stir in cream cheese,  sour cream and half of the cheese. Mix well and heat on low for 2 minutes.  
• Transfer to a baking dish and top with remaining cheese.  Bake uncovered 20 minutes. Serve immediately with assorted chips.   

Cheesy Beef and Bean Enchilada Stew 
 http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2017/01/game-day-snacking-part-one.html

Lighter Game Day Fare

Avocado Dip with Hummus

Mini Nacho Pizzas
http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2017/02/game-day-snacking-part-two.html

Check out the latest issue of Food Network

such a packed issue of ideas and recipes. Looking for some low calorie dinners, stir fry dinners, game day treats, 12 cupcakes one for each month, 2 small bite dessert ideas, some fun nutritious breakfast ideas? Then they've got you covered.  
Here's a fun party idea from the magazine 

INFLADIUM  inflatable snack or beverage blow-up-and it's reusable
http://www.partycity.com/product/infladium+football+snack+stadium+party+supplies.do

The beauty of Arizona sunsets never cease to amaze me!

Healthy Friday

While much of the country is in a deep freeze and many are in need of a warm up 

so how about a big bowl of  Chicken Tortilla Soup? 
This Mexican soup is a fairly recent incarnation. The soup is named for the fried corn tortilla strips used. It can usually be found on Mexican and Tex-Mex menus. Toppings for the soup include sour cream, avocado, cilantro and homemade tortilla chips.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Cook's notes: The soup turns up the heat with a bit of a kick to it with loads of Mexican flavor using Mexican salsa, cumin and chili powder. Using a rotisserie chicken is a time saver. Prepared tortilla chips can be substituted over making your own.  
Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles with juice
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1/2 cup each mini sweet red and yellow peppers 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 32 oz. low sodium chicken broth 
• 1 (7.76 oz.) Mexican salsa
• 1/4 tsp.each cumin and chili powder 
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp.sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1/2 can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 TB. lime juice
• 1 TB.fresh cilantro,minced

Directions:

• In a large soup pot saute onions and peppers in 1 TB olive oil for 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute 2 minutes more. 
• Add in rest of ingredients except lime juice and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 45 minutes. Add lime juice and remove bay leaf before serving. Garnish with cilantro. 

Optional Homemade Corn Tortillas Strips
Ingredients:

• 7 small corn tortillas
• vegetable oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil.
• Cut into strips and place on a cookie sheet.
• Bake until crisp about 10 minutes.
• To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup. 

"Worries go down better with soup"

Jewish proverb

The World According to Bella

Back to the Desert 
There was a lot of packing going on so I assumed we're going back to the lake.  

Wrong!
With a very full van I wasted no time hopping in. I did not want to be left behind for this ride. I kept a very close watch on Mr. C's driving to make sure we were going north and not west. 

After many hours nothing looked familiar even though all I could see was blowing snow-maybe we were going north but just a different way but when he turned, headed west, the  snow disappeared, my worst fears were confirmed-it was Back to the Desert for me. 

For those of you who may have forgotten about my nightmare javelina escapade and Mr. C's hospital stay read on 
A Night of Terror
http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-world-according-to-bella.html

I kept nudging Mr. C letting him no there was some mistake over where we were going,  
but all he did was ignore me. 

After awhile I resigned myself to a long car ride. I power napped a lot and learned to pee on command at all the rest stops.  At two hotel stops I learned the drill. Sleep at night (though Mr. C and Mrs. S didn't know I laid awake all night listening to all the scary new noises). In the morning Mr. C would feed me, we 'd go out,I'd do my business and head straight for the van. No since wasting time inside a room I didn't like.  
After what seemed like endless hours of riding, I'd check from time to time to see what Mrs. S was doing. 

She thought I'd like to hear this story, a recent Christmas gift,   

but the more Mrs. S read about javelinas the more anxious I felt. And when we got out at this  rest stop I remembered this scary sign from last year. I was starting to worry. 

But once we arrived at the same house from last year I perked up. It all was familiar and I do like their patio for morning sunning. 

So let the shedding begin

  and bring on the adventures!

Love, Bella
P,S. I forgot to mention Mr. C and Mrs. S  thought I was the perfect traveler. I never asked once "Are we there yet?"   

A Cheesy Gluten-Free Meal

Ever Ready has made a temporary move to a new location Arizona. You can expect the same great recipes, lots of Tex-Mex dishes and some healthy options for your meal planning. 

The sunrises and sunsets never disappoint here. The skies were spectacular today with a kaleidoscope of bursting colors. I started out in the back of the house for this one   

 moved to the front for these 

and so did the lady across the street who also had her camera out- LOL

The following cheeses are gluten free
Blue cheese is usually gluten-free. ...
Brie
Cheddar cheese
Cottage cheese is usually gluten-free, but some brands may contain wheat starch or modified food starch made from wheat. ...
Cream cheese
Feta cheese
Goat cheese
Some of my food magazines have given rave reviews to this product-riced 100% veggies.  

It's an innovative product (easy to find in frozen section) low in calories, healthy and a gluten-free side dish. The recipe comes from skinnytaste.com  I made several adaptations included in the recipe below. With a great taste you won't even realize you are already eating healthy. A serving comes in under 300 calories but if you choose to use a rotisserie chicken that calorie count might change. Recipe serves four. 
Skillet Cheesy Chicken and Veggie"Rice"
Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed about a 1/2 lb.
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced red peppers
• 1/3 cup diced sweet onions
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. parsley flakes
• a few pinches of crushed red peppers
• 1 -12 oz. package of riced cauliflower and broccoli-frozen (I used 3/4 of the package-save rest in freezer)
• 3/4 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

• Marinate chicken in buttermilk for two hours, drain. Salt and pepper, bake covered at 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Let meat rest, cover until needed. 
• Heat a large skillet with olive oil. Saute pepper and onions for 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute two minutes more. 
• Add in riced cauliflower and broccoli, chicken, parsley and pinch of red pepper flakes. Cover and cook on a medium low heat for 7- 8 minutes. Add in cheese, cover and melt about 2 minutes more.
• Serve immediately.  VOILA ! you have a yummy healthy dish to share.

I also discovered there are other recipes on the Green Giant website. 
https://www.greengiant.com/our-recipes/

 

Lighter Fare for a New Year

After the holidays time to start looking at some lighter fare. I've rounded up a few  previously posted recipes to inspire your cooking and meal planning and a great kick-off to 2018.  
Grilled Greek Hummus Wrap

Tuna and Chickpea Wrap
http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2017/01/chickpeas.html
Berry Smoothie

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2016/06/mornings-two-best-friends-smoothie-and.html
Breakfast Burrito with Scrambled Eggs and Avocado 

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2016/08/snack-smart-eat-healthy.html
Taco Lettuce Wraps

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2015/10/lettuce-wraps.html

Veggie Tacos 

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2017/08/sweet-potato-avocado-and-black-bean.html

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew  

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2015/10/its-healthy-friday.html