Apple Chicken Sausage Veggie Bake

I was having one of those days where I found myself standing in front of the refrigerator wondering what I was going to cook for supper, at an hour I should have already had supper cooked.

We needed groceries and the produce I did have, needed to be used in a hurry.

This recipe started as a chuck all, but has ended up being a sought after go to.

The simplicity of this recipes is ridiculous, the deliciousness of this recipe is extreme, and to bring it all the goodness to a full trifecta…… it's fool proof!

and healthy…

wait, what would that make it then? a quart-fecta?

Pizza Dough

I have weird hopes attached to the food memories for my kids. 

Pizza is one of them. 

I imagine my kids, as adults, telling their own kids about Friday night pizza nights and whatever happy memories we've created along the way to go with them. 

I also imagine them complaining about how "Mom would never keep the recipe the same! never the same dough. never the same sauce. she'd make one that was great one week and then change it completely the next."

I have weird hopes attached to the list of complaints for my kid's therapist too.

But I'm getting of topic here…

Pizza dough, yes.. 

It's so versatile. 

Use beer, instead of water.

Add in pesto.

Throw some sun dried tomatoes paste into the mix.

Doesn't adding parmesan sound like a no brainer?

I'm getting ahead of myself here, lets just start with the basics and go from there.

'White' Chicken Chili

Let me frist start of by acknowledging that though this is a recipe based on the idea of White Chicken Chili, it's in fact not white… but wait, just listen…. I can explain…

Firstly, some recipes have pepper jack {or some other} cheese melted into it's broth, supporting the color assigned title, I don't see the necessity of it…. cheese base broth, isn't really chili now is it….

Secondly, what kind of "chili" doesn't have "chili powder" in it?
No chili I'm willing to attack my name to, I'll tell you that.

So with the darkness of the chili powder and the lightness of the base, it's pretty self explanatory for there.

Perhaps I could have taken the liberty to name it, "Slightly Off White, Not Quite Tan, With A Hue of Red, Chicken Chili", but I feel like that just doesn't roll of the tongue as well.

Honey Mustard Pan Fried Potatoes

I love pan fried potatoes. If I were to list my top 5 'go-to' comfort foods, they would take up at least 3.7 of the slots.

Only real butter will do and there should be as many onions as potatoes.

Cooking time should be gaged by how sore your arms are from scrapping the bottom of the pan, then they should cook, no less, than 10 minutes longer. 

Unfortunately, my pallet is not the only one that needs to be catered to, within these four walls. So from my attempt in still getting what I want, but making it look like something new and exciting, has steamed what fills up the other 1.3 of my comfort food indulgences. 

Stromboli

As a kid, I hated Stromboli. Largely because I didn't feel Swiss cheese was worth my time, I saw no appeal to it's sharp fragrance appealing, I turned my nose up at it, and with out hesitation, requested provolone instead.

As an adult, I love Stromboli. Largely because I will take any opportunity to flirt with Swiss cheese and curse my younger self for not having appreciated it's allure. I'm ashamed for ever suggesting provolone could replace it so easily. 

I have seen the error in my ways. The amount of Stromboli I dismissed… the Swiss cheese I disregarded… The regretful feelings I still harbor…I was so young…. I was such a foolish… 

Shrimp & Peas

Shrimp and peas is something I could eat every day and never seem to remember to make it even once a year.

Recently, I was informed that it's also called "Shrimp Pea Wiggle", which confused me and caused for a great descriptive discussion between my friend and I.

I had once had said "Shrimp Pea Wiggle" and it was presented in a tomato based form and in my opinion, hard to choke down.

This, is not hard to choke down.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts are one of my favorite vegetable sides.

Even as a kid, I loved slapping the butter, salt, and vinegar on the boiled cabbagy sprouts, my parents use to cook up.

Roasting them makes me feel like I'm eating the grown up version of sprouts…

If that's the case, growing up has it's perks...

Sausage, Tomato, Mac & Cheese

I not only love food, but I love how it brings people together and I love the stories that are told around it. Mostly, I love the memories that it provokes, that sometimes have an unfortunate way going long periods of time, without remembrance.

Like, how my great-grandmother use to have the best {store bought!} ginger snap cookies in life. Just the thought of their deliciousness, I can now smell the aroma of lavender powered that always surrounded her, hear the creak in the step that led up to warmth of her home , and feel the softness of skin during her too small body's surprisingly strong hugs….

Great, now I miss my Gram…and am hungry for ginger snaps….

Anyways, the simple point I was trying to make, if I could attach myself to a dish that would provoke memories of warmth throughout the generations of my family, this would be the one.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I could live off sweet potatoes. They are sweet… they are potatoes…and they are complemented best with a slab of butter and a sprinkle of salt, and peppered with… well pepper.

What's not to love about any of that?

Fried, mashed, chipped, or candied… Anyway you've got them, I want them… But my most preferred way, is roasted…

Short Ribs

These short ribs are delicious, easy, and at first read of the ingredients, are a total turn off to most people.

Trust me when I say, don't.be.most.people.

They couldn't be more yummy, hearty, and house warming.