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Entrees (Lunch or Dinner)

Entrees (Lunch or Dinner)/ Food in 30 Minutes or Less/ One Pot Wonders/ Poultry/ Sunday Supper

Buffalo Chicken Ranch Casserole

Fall and winter call out for comfort foods and this recipe will hit the comfort food spot. This is a simple recipe that can start with leftover chicken, chicken thighs or breasts that you prepare or a rotisserie chicken.

Buffalo Chicken Ranch Casserole

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By Shéri Dixon, B.S.N., R.N. Serves: 6
Prep Time: 15 mintues Cooking Time: 20

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 2 tbsp. melted butter, ghee or avocado oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 c. buffalo sauce
  • 1/4 c. ranch dressing, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/3 c. sliced green onions, plus more for garnish
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 c. cooked chicken (leftover chicken, chicken thighs or breasts that you prepare or a rotisserie chicken)
  • 1/2 c. shredded cheddar
  • 1/2 c. shredded gouda

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 450°. In a baking dish, toss cauliflower florets with fat of choice and season with salt and pepper.

2

Bake until tender, 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

3

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, buffalo sauce, ranch, green onions, and garlic powder until combined. Set aside.

4

Toss rotisserie chicken with roasted cauliflower in baking dish and spread cream cheese mixture on top.

5

Top with cheddar and gouda and bake until cheese is completely melted and bubbly, 20 minutes.

6

Let cool 10 minutes, then drizzle with ranch and garnish with green onions or chives and serve.

Nutrition

  • 581 Calories
  • 10g Carbohydrates
  • 193mg Cholesterol
  • 40g Fat
  • 2g Fiber
  • 53g Protein
  • 18g Saturated fat
  • 890mg Sodium
  • 5g Sugar
  • 13g Unsaturated fat

Notes

If you haven't set your cream cheese out to soften place chunked up cream cheese into a microwavable bowl and microwave at 40 percent power in 30 second intervals until softened. Cheese feel free to use whatever cheese you like or have on hand. Pepper Jack would add a nice kick. Variations: Jalapeno Buffalo Chicken Casserole: Prepare the casserole as listed above except using fresh jalapeno peppers slice thinly and place on a microwave safe plate in a single layer and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds to soften. Then place the sliced jalapenos on top of the shredded cheese. You can also use pickled jalapenos, no need to cook. Bacon Buffalo Chicken Casserole: Prepare the casserole as listed above except cook 4 slices of bacon and crumble to add to the cream cheese mixture or you can add when serving. Bacon Jalapeno Buffalo Chicken Casserole: Prepare the casserole as listed above and follow the instructions for the jalapenos and bacon

Beef/ Entrees (Lunch or Dinner)/ Instant Pot or Slow Cooker/ Sunday Supper

Classic Braised Beef Short Ribs

This classic dish is a pot full of satisfying comfort food good enough for company. These are even better the next day. This recipe is cooked in the oven however I have also included instructions for cooking in the Instant Pot (IP) or slow cooker (see notes section). Serve over Mashed Cauliflower.

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By Shéri Dixon, B.S.N., R.N. Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 3-4 hours and 15 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 330°F.

2

Season the short ribs thoroughly with salt and pepper. Heat a dutch oven with a lid over medium high heat, add avocado oil and then cooking in batches add about 4 ribs to the pot. Fry the ribs for 10–15 minutes to brown really well on all sides.

3

Add the halved garlic head, cut side down, pushing it to the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato past and heat for a minute or two to cook it out the raw tomato flavor.

4

Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to the boil and cook for 10–15 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half, then add stock to nearly cover the ribs

5

Bring to the boil again, basting the ribs with the juices.

6

Cover the roasting tray with foil and cook in the preheated oven for 3–4 hours, basting now and then until the meat is tender and falling away from the bone.

7

Serve over mashed cauliflower

8

About 10 minutes before the short ribs are ready to come out, fry the pancetta for 2–3 minutes until crisp and golden. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4–5 minutes until tender. Drain off any excess fat.

9

When the short ribs are ready, remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and pass through a sieve. Spoon off any excess fat from the beef cooking liquid, then strain it through the sieve and mix with the garlic. (If the sauce is too thin, reduce the cooking liquid by heating for 10–15 minutes more after straining.)

10

Serve the short ribs topped with the hot pancetta and mushrooms and the sauce poured around. Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley.

11

Enjoy!

Nutrition

  • 361 Calories
  • 7g Carbohydrates
  • 60mg Cholesterol
  • 23g Fat
  • 1g Fiber
  • 21g Protein
  • 7g Saturated fat
  • 652mg Sodium
  • 2g Sugar
  • 11g Unsaturated fat

Notes

These can also be cooked in the Instant Pot (IP) or slow cooker but are best when slow braised in a dutch oven. Cooking in the IP: Brown the ribs and then place in the IP and cover with liquid. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high and set time for 40 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer's directions. Natural-release pressure according to manufacturer's directions. Slow Cooker: Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the meat is very tender.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Entrees (Lunch or Dinner)/ Food in 30 Minutes or Less/ One Pot Wonders/ Pork

Sausage with Cabbage Alfredo

This is a wonderful dish that can be made with a variety of proteins with the cabbage alfredo as the base. Here it is shown with chicken spinach and feta sausage (Costco Kirkland, Chicken Sausage with Spinach & Feta). I have also used spicy sausage such as Conecuh® Cajun Smoked Sausage.

Sausage with Cabbage Alfredo

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By Shéri Dixon, B.S.N., R.N. Serves: 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes or less Cooking Time: 15

Ingredients

  • 1 package of sausage, sliced (sauté in butter if using chicken sausage)
  • 2 tablespoons of butter or the render fat from the sausage (see note below for additional seasonings)
  • 1 medium head of cabbage sliced (this can be cut-up ahead time as part of meal prep or can use bagged coleslaw mix to speed up the processed)
  • 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus some for serving
  • 2-4 ounces of cream cheese (optional)

Instructions

1

Sauté sausage in a pan, reserving render fat and add cabbage and cook to desired texture.

2

Stir in heavy cream, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly to combine.

3

Add back into the pan the cooked sausage to incorporate all the ingredients.

4

Place in a serving dish and top with more parmesan cheese, if desired.

5

Enjoy!

Nutrition

  • 448 Calories
  • 10g Carbohydrates
  • 97mg Cholesterol
  • 37g Fat
  • 4g Fiber
  • 19g Protein
  • 18g Saturated fat
  • 886mg Sodium
  • 5g Sugar
  • .g Trans fat
  • 5g Unsaturated fat

Notes

This is the base recipe and additional seasonings can be added to taste. Crushed red pepper or garlic can be added to the render fat or butter before adding the cabbage. Onion would also be delicious.

Entrees (Lunch or Dinner)/ Fish/Seafood/ Naughty to Nice/ One Pot Wonders/ Sunday Supper

Shrimp Lo Mein

This recipe will satisfy your desire for food with an Asian flair. There are multiple ways to cook a spaghetti squash and as such the time for cooking the spaghetti squash not included in this recipe. See my recipe for cooking spaghetti squash.

Shrimp Lo Mein

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By Shéri Dixon, B.S.N., R.N. Serves: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

1

Prepare the spaghetti squash

2

Combine the minced garlic, ginger, half of the green onions, and peppercorns, optional chili peppers to create the seasoning mix

3

Using a cast iron wok or cast iron skillet heat the sesame oil over medium high heat and the seasoning mix and heat until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add in the shrimp and cook just until pink on both sides. Stir frequently so the garlic mix doesn't burn. Remove the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.

4

Add additional sesame oil if needed to the wok or pan

5

Add in the the mushrooms, red pepper and broccoli and cook until slightly softened about 2-3 minutes.

6

Add in spaghetti squash and stir until combined. Combine the coconut aminos and erythritol and pour over and toss. Taste for salt and add salt to taste, if needed. Top with the remaining green onions.

7

Enjoy!

Nutrition

  • 200 Calories
  • 11g Carbohydrates
  • 224mg Cholesterol
  • 7g Fat
  • 1g Fiber
  • 22g Protein
  • 1g Saturated fat
  • 927mg Sodium
  • 2g Sugar
  • 4g Unsaturated fat

Notes

You can use white, baby bella or crimini or shiitaki mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms will double the carbohydrate count but also amp up the flavor considerably.