1 lb flavorful ground turkey sausage, (browned)

1 lb boneless skinless Chicken breast chopped to 1/2 inch cubes and browned in a little oil

4 cups chopped onion

1 large bell pepper, coarsely chopped

6 stalks celery, chopped

1 12oz package cut okra

Opt: 1/2 lb fresh asparagus, cut into 1″ lengths.

1 quart or 2 15 oz cans stewed, chopped or blended tomatoes.

2 generous tablespoons soup base (Better than Bouillon)

6 cups of water.

4 1/2 cups cooked brown rice,

OR add 1 1/2 cups raw rice with 3 extra cups of water to soup and allow 1 1/2 hours on medium low to cook.

If using cooked rice, Bring Gumbo to boil in a covered pot and then turn heat to medium low to simmer for another 25 minutes until vegetables are tender. THEN ADD RICE! (See video)

Makes 12 generous servings,

Serve hot with Ginger Pumpkin Sweet Corn Bread, (RECIPE AT THE END OF THE VIDEO)

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10402/the-best-rolled-sugar-cookies/

For chocolate pudding (4 large servings)

4 cups skim milk

Add 4 eggs mix well

Add 4 Tablespoons cornstarch (Add a total of 5 for pie filling)

Add 2/3 cup white sugar. (For butterscotch use 1 cup brown sugar and don’t add cocoa)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (leave out for vanilla)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla,

Mix well, cook, stirring constantly on medium high heat until thick.

Serve warm as pudding or chill for pie

top with whipped topping YUMMMMMMY!

The true Irish would use lamb or mutton and some other special ingredients, but this captures the hearty flavors in an easy recipe.

Brown 1 lb ground beef. When it’s getting a little crispy, Add two cups of coarsely chopped yellow onion and cook until onions start to turn golden. Drain the fat and

Add 5 cups of water to skillet to deglaze the pan

Add 3 generous tablespoons of Better Than Buillion or other beef soup base (or buillion cubes)

When the soup mix is dissolved, Add a hefty 1/4 cup minced garlic

1/3 cup tomato paste

Put it all into a hot pot or electric pressure cooker if you have one.

Add 2 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped carrots

3 medium potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Cook on high for 30 minutes.

I add a can of cream soup, (cream of chicken, in this case) to thicken the broth. OR you can remove some of the liquid, cool it down with an ice cube mix in 3 Tablespoons of flour and return to the pot, stirring well.

Irish SODA BREAD

IN a large bowl, add

4 Cups Whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda,

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar (I would use 1/2 cup next time for some extra interest)

Mix dry ingredients and add

Add 1/2 cup raisins to dry ingredients.

1 1/2 cups either buttermilk, sour milk or regular milk soured with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar

Mix until it forms a stick dough. Shape with a little oil on your hands. Put into greased dutch oven pot or onto a cookie sheet.

Bake 45 minutes until it sounds hollow and looks brown. SERVE HOT! with butter or jam and Irish stew.

I would request this for my last meal. SOOOO GOOD!

Whole Grain Artisan Pizza Crust:

You may use an ordinary mixing bowl and mix it all by hand. Otherwise:

To an electric mixing bowl equipped with a dough hook, add

1 1/4 cups warm water (baby bath temperature)

1 T sugar

2 T active dry yeast (or two packets)

3 Tablespoons oil (I use olive oil in this recipe usually)

2 t salt

1/3 cup vital wheat gluten

OPT: 2 T chia seeds, 2 T toasted, salted sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pipas)

2 cups whole wheat flour.

Mix on high until blended. Scrape down sides with rubber spatula, then turn down to the slowest or next to the slowest speed and mix for 5 minutes.

When finished, let rest for 15 minutes

While dough is relaxing make the sauce:

1 1/4 cups plain yogurt,

1 1/2 Tablespoon ranch dressing mix. (I use Hidden Valley brand if I have it on hand.)

pinch of salt

Mix well, set aside.

For toppings. Medium chop for all:

Heat a medium skillet with 1 T oil on medium high on the stove and add:

2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1/2 to 1″ pieces)

half a large onion

1/2 bell pepper

1/2 pound of asparagus spears, cut into 1″ pieces. (Discard any woody ends)

Add 2 generous tablespoons of minced garlic

season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper (each)

Stir the chicken occasionally so it doesn’t burn, and when it’s cooked through, mix in the veggies. While that cooks, chop:

6 medium mushrooms (I choose Crimini, because they’re a bit firmer)

1 15 oz can artichoke hearts

1 15 oz can (medium) pitted black olives

Grate 5 oz mozzerella cheese

Measure 4 oz (1 cup) of grated parmesan cheese

Spray pizza pan.

For the last two minutes before the chicken is done, add the mushrooms. Turn off when finished.

Press pizza crust to the edges of the large pizza pan (crimp edges if desired)

Spread with yogurt ranch dressing

add sauteed vegetables/chicken

distribute artichokes, olives and a layer of spinach leaves

sprinkle with mozzerella cheese then Parmesan cheese.

Bake 375 oven for 20 minutes until golden and cheese is starting to toast. UMMMMMM An effort well worth it.

Feeds 8 hearty appetites! 1/8 of this heavy, filling pizza has only 480 calories!

These delicious muffins have only 100 calories. Two with a glass of milk make a delightful breakfast or supper.

Note: I use homemade yogurt and home-canned pumpkin, but store-bought will be perfectly fine, too.

This is a recipe I tweaked up from my daughter-in-law, Lindsay Stephenson. She got the basic idea on THE DINNER MOM

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon each of salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon

2 cups of pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 cup plain, nonfat yogurt

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Mix all ingredients, reserving out 2 Tablespoons of the chocolate chips.

Divide into 16 muffins cups, (sprayed with non-stick spray, if not a nonstick pan)

Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips over any muffins that might have been gyped, and then poke down into the batter.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

This video will go live on Wednesday, Jan 13 2021 at 3:00 p.m.

Mix all recipes well. Flavors will blend well if you let the mixture rest for at least a couple of hours. You can use any ground meat, but I choose lean ground turkey because it has the least fat, cholesterol and calories.

Recipe # 1 (Good sturdy breakfast sausage recipe)

1 lb 90% lean ground turkey

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper, (I recommend 1/2 tsp for a little more zip.)

Recipe #2 (From DivasCanCook) (Complex and flavorful)

1 lb lean ground turkey

1/2 tsp fennel

1 tsp sage

1 tsp thyme

1/2 Tbls. brown sugar

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

Pinch of ground cloves,

Pinch of red pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Recipe #3 (distinct sage flavor)

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp sage

2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

dash of cayenne pepper

Recipe #4 (Mild and pleasant)

1 lb lean ground turkey (or other meat)

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder (or granulated garlic)

1 tsp ground sage

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp ground rosemary

1/2 tsp salt

Toast 2 cups of whole almonds, (10 minutes in a 350 oven spread on a cookie sheet)

Spray 2 9×9 pans with non-stick spray or use a jelly roll plan with a 1 inch lip

Spread toasted almonds on sprayed pan

In a large, heavy pot, add

4 cups white sugar

2 cups white corn syrup

1 cup slated butter (2 sticks)

Cook until bubbly stirring constantly. Gradually add 2 cans of evaporated milk so that it continues to boil. It will take several minutes to add it all.

Continue stirring until candy registers 238 (soft ball) on a candy thermometer.

Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla

Pour hot candy over toasted almonds.

Optional: Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and or chocolate chips. When chocolate chips melt, spread evenly in a thin layer over caramel.

Cool completely, cut into small squares, (an inch or smaller), Wrap in parchment paper or wax paper. (cut paper to about 3 inches square.)

Here’s the link to the my Youtube video version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF9coopte6M

In a bowl, mix:

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup citric acid

1/2 cup epsom salts

In a separate bowl, mix

1 teaspoon water

a few drops of food coloring

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (or other extract with a strong scent)

5 Tablespoons olive oil

Gradually add liquid to dry, stirring well until it has the texture of damp sand and will hold it’s shape when molded. If it’s a little dry, add water a teaspoon at a time. (If you add too much water, the baking soda activates and will cause the molded forms to expand. They will still give a nice fizzy bath.

Mold in anything you want. You could use a muffin tin or a silicone mold of any shape. You want the finished bath bomb to be 3-6 tablespoons.

Wrap in fabric netting and tie with a ribbon. If you crumble one, wrap it up anyway and label it “cookie crumb peppermint.”