One Pot Bean and Sausage Bake

1 onion, halved and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (14 oz.) cans of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 t dried thyme
1 t celery seeds
1/2 t of salt
1/4 t of pepper
6 (1 ½ lbs.) sausage links
1 zucchini, sliced thin
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, drained

Set the oven temperature to 450 degrees allowing the oven to preheat.
Spray the lid, sides and bottom of a cast iron Dutch oven with a non stick cooking spray.
Scatter the onions over the bottom of the pan.
Scatter the garlic over the onions.
Place the beans into the pan and spread them out into a smooth layer.
Sprinkle the beans with the thyme, celery seeds, salt and pepper
Lay the sausage links in a single layer over the beans.
Add the zucchini and tomatoes.
Cover the pan and bake 35 minutes or until the beans are tender the sausage is cooked through.

Makes 4 servings

Any type of pork sausage links works well in this dish but if you want to make it a low fat dish use turkey sausage instead. 5 or 6 fresh tomatoes, chopped may be used in place of the canned tomatoes if you prefer.

Honey Ginger Pork Dinner

1- 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin
1/2 t salt
1/4 t of pepper
1/2 C of honey
6 T of Dijon mustard
1 t ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
10 small new potatoes
4 carrots, sliced into coins
3 C of frozen cut green beans

How to Make It:

Set the oven temperature to 450 degrees and allow the oven to preheat.
Spray a cast iron Dutch oven well with a non stick cooking spray.
Place the meat into the pan.
Season the meat with the salt and pepper.
Place the honey into a small mixing bowl.
Whisk in the mustard, ginger, cinnamon and cloves until well blended.
Pour the mixture over the top of the meat.
Place the potatoes into the pan.
Add the carrots and green beans.
Cover the pan and bake 45 minutes or until the pork is completely cooked through.

Makes 4 servings

This kid friendly dinner is low in fat and filled full of nutrients. You can substitute, chicken breasts, turkey breast or even salmon into this recipe if you prefer.

Creative Chicken Stew

1 onion, diced
1 C of white rice
1 2/3 C of chicken broth
1 lb. chicken breasts
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced
1 1/3 C of milk
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t of salt
6 T of creamy peanut butter
4 tomatoes, diced
1 sweet potato, cut into cubes
1 (5 oz.) pkg. frozen spinach

How to Make It:

Spray the inside and the underneath of the lid of a cast iron Dutch oven well with cooking spray.
Preset the oven temperature to 450 degrees allowing the oven to preheat.
Spread the onions over the bottom of the pan.
Place the rice into the pan and pour the broth over the rice.
Stir to coat the rice and then spread into an even layer.
Lay the chicken over the rice and top the chicken with the bell pepper slices.
Pour the milk into a small mixing bowl.
Whisk in the garlic, cayenne and salt.
Ad the peanut butter and stir until the peanut butter dissolves.
Pour the mixture over the top of the chicken and peppers.
Layer in the tomatoes, then the potatoes and top with spinach.
Cover and bake 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Makes 4 servings

There are many variations to this recipe. Instead of using regular milk use coconut milk and substitute red pepper flakes for the cayenne pepper. Instead of adding rice use an extra sweet potato or sliced white potato. You can also add tiny shrimp along with the chicken for an extra addition.

Simply Chicken and Hash Browns

1 (16 oz.) bag of frozen hash browns
2 lbs. chicken breasts
1/2 t of salt
1/4 t of pepper
1 (12 oz.) bag of frozen peas and carrots
1 (6 oz.) can of sliced mushrooms, drained well

How to Make It:

Allow the oven to preheat to 450 degrees.
Spray the lid and inside of a cast iron Dutch oven well with a non stick cooking spray.
Spread the frozen hash browns over the bottom of the pan.
Lay the chicken pieces of the potatoes and sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper.
Add the bag of frozen peas and carrots and top with the sliced mushrooms.
Cover and bake 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Makes 4 servings

Thanksgiving meal in Dutch Oven

1 lb. boneless turkey breast
1/4 t of salt
2/3 C of frozen cranberries
2/3 C of orange marmalade
1 t of lemon juice
1/8 t of pepper
1/2 C of walnuts
1/2 C of turkey broth
2 C of pearl onions
1 large sweet potato cut in 1/4 inch slices
3 C of frozen cut green beans
1 t of dried sage

How to Make It:

Preset the oven temperature to 450 degrees and allow the oven to preheat.
Spray the bottom, sides and lid of a cast iron Dutch oven with a non stick cooking spray.
Place the turkey breast into the bottom of the pan and sprinkle the top evenly with the salt.
Place the cranberries into the blender and blend until small chunks.
Add in the marmalade, lemon juice and pepper and pulse a couple of time to mix.
Add the walnuts and broth and pulse until the walnuts are chopped into bite size pieces.
Pour half of the mixture over the top of the turkey.
Add the onions and sweet potato slices.
Pour the remaining cranberry sauce over the top of the onions and potatoes.
Spread the green beans over the top and sprinkle with the sage.
Cover and bake 35 minutes or until the turkey is cooked through.
Spread the sauce over each serving.

Makes 4 servings

Nestled Breakfast Eggs

6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 orange bell pepper, cored seeded and sliced ling
2 russet potatoes cut into small cubes
1/2 t of salt
1/4 t of pepper
1 small head of cabbage, shredded
4 large eggs
4 thick slices of whole grain bread

Adjust the oven temperature to 450 degrees allowing the oven to preheat.
Lightly spray the inside and the lid of a cast iron Dutch oven.
Spread the cumin seeds over the entire bottom of the pan.
Scatter the garlic over the cumin seeds then add the onion, bell pepper and then the potatoes.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the top.
Place the cabbage into the pan and make 4 wells to hold each egg.
Carefully break the eggs into the well leaving the yolk intact.
Its okay if part of the eggs leak out of the wells they will still be nestled inside the wells.
Lay a slice of bread over the top of each well.
Cover and bake 32 minutes or until cooked through.