A healthy one-pot meal recipe
Sometimes you just don't feel like really cooking. All the prepping and standing there making sure everything is going well takes time and energy. And I'm just like everyone else – I do get tired and I get very busy with so much – but cooking must still be done.
Steaming a meal is easy. You still have to keep an eye on it – but it's not like skillet frying, sauteed meals, stirring macaroni, etc.
Being in the mood for steamed veggies and sausage – I made a very easy meal for us yesterday.
Since the broccoli and asparagus looked good at the market – a steamed veggie pot sounded good.
I filled the bottom of my steamer pot just about half full; placed my steamer pot on top and placed over a medium-high heat.
Cleaned and chunked my carrots, peeled my taters and cut into wedges, and cut a stick of kielbasa into diagonal slices and placed in my pot; cover and steamed for about 15 – 20 minutes – until my taters and carrots were tender.
Meanwhile, I washed my broccoli florets and trimmed and cleaned my asparagus spears and placed on top in the steamer.
Immediately I made some white sauce -
Over medium heat, melt in saucepan:
2 tablespoons butter
Whisk in and cook for about one minute:
2 tablespoons flour
Add Kosher salt and cracked black pepper; whisk in 1 cup whole milk and bring to a boil; whisking to desired thickness.
The broccoli and asparagus were steamed perfectly in 3 minutes – which is how long it took to make the white sauce.
Served with dollops of sour cream on the side. The drizzle of white sauce made it more enjoyable.
A very healthy meal and for vegetarians – eliminate the sausage.
Clean-up was easy – just the steamer pots and the small saucepan for the white sauce.
Cabbage, Sausage and Vegetable Soup Recipe
You cannot say that this is not soup weather!
I wonder if winter will ever go away and the snow will ever melt. I know that I still have that giant mountain of snow out front that will most likely still be here through the summer. It's rock solid ice right now.
With nagging snows that keep you shoveling several times a day – sometimes you need to make something that is good and hot to warm the tummy.
With my insane schedule – it's a wonder I get anything accomplished these days.Last week I made a pot of Cabbage, Sausage and Vegetable Soup – something I could make in 1 1/2 hours between "shifts".
It was a last minute decision, so on my way home in the morning I stopped and grabbed a package of polish sausage and a head of cabbage.
I think I can break a world record for putting this soup together.
Run in the door and hang up my coat, empty the bag and wash my hands. Grab the big soup pot and fill it with cold water and place over medium heat.
Meanwhile, cut my sausage and add to pan. Dice onions, carrots, celery; add to pan. Season with Kosher salt, cracked black pepper, parsley, and chicken bouillon. Wash my cabbage and cut to add later. Peel my potatoes, cut into chunks and place in cold water and I was done in less than 15 minutes!
I brought my soup to a simmer and there is really no skimming with this. An hour or so later I added my diced potatoes and then I added my cabbage. Once the taters and cabbage were tender – it was done.
One big pot was good for two days – plenty of homemade bread for soppin' and a real tummy-warmer in this weather.
